My Brother's Keeper
by TheMoonclaw
Summary: Whoever was foolish enough to kidnap her brother was in for a rude awakening...after all, nothing was allowed to hurt Cuore's family. Nothing. Post TAY; Post Lost and Found. (Follows same 'verse) Multi-chaptered. COMPLETE!
1. Amity

**Hello all!**

**Back again, I am, with a new story.**

**It's pretty much imperative that you read Lost and Found before reading this story, as it's a story that comes directly after it and takes place in the same universe/timeline. I'm still not going to call it a 'sequel', but it's pretty darn close.**

**Obviously, this is post-TAY, not cannon, and multi-chaptered.**

**Also obviously, I know nothing. Well, that's not actually true anymore, is it? I own what TAY was too inept to come up with.**

**There will be another Author's Note at the bottom, but for now, onward to the story!**

* * *

Kieran heard the distinct sound of glass breaking a second before he ducked a slash to the face with a broken bottle. He had to side step to the right to avoid being struck with a barstool a moment later, and instead winced as the wooden object crashed into the counter behind him.

Splintered wood rained down in every direction and Kieran shoved the wielder of the former stool into the man with the jagged bottle, making them both topple onto the ground in a heap.

"This is so your fault!" he called over the din of the scuffle, shooting a quick glare in the direction of his mentor.

If Kain heard him, he ignored him, or was too busy dodging drunkards to reply.

This was supposed to be a simple conversation with one of the patrons in the tavern and Kieran still wasn't entirely sure how it had erupted into an all-out brawl.

He didn't have a chance to continue pondering that topic since he had to avoid a poorly timed punch aimed at him.

It was a good thing it was the middle of the day and the bar only contained a dozen or so people, otherwise they would have had a harder time defending themselves.

Another angry attacker lunged at him but Kieran just sidestepped the stumbling man and grabbed his arm as he tried to punch him haphazardly.

He hooked his foot around the other man's ankle so that when he tried to break free, he tripped himself and collapsed, slurring together what might have been an insult.

The next nearest target Kieran didn't bother to even look at and just punched him as he reached for bottle to copy the earlier assailant.

The uproar seemed to have died down by this point, and Kieran stood still for a moment, trying to catch his breath. He did a quick survey of the now ruined tavern before his gaze finally settled on his mentor again.

He glared at the blonde man and repeated what they'd discussed before coming in here. "We won't need our weapons, this is just a simple conversation?"

Kain glanced over his shoulder at him and Kieran scowled, "What a load of-"

"We're fine," Kain interrupted before he could finish out his thought.

Kieran stared at him for a moment, thinking that the word 'fine' didn't really cover anything that had happened. He stepped gingerly over his pile of passed out and knocked out victims and wandered around Kain's, commenting, "I hope you at least got the information we came here for,"

Kain frowned at that, "I did not."

Kieran rolled his eyes, "Fantastic."

"The black market's not going anywhere," Kain retorted, shrugging.

His statement was unfortunately true, though Kieran felt as if this excursion from their normal routines was a waste of perfectly good time. Time they could have spent following up on other leads, or time they could have spent not almost getting stabbed with broken bottles.

Kieran left the building first, making it clear to his mentor that he wasn't going to stay and explain to the barkeep what had happened.

Kain had made a face, Kieran had grinned, and in the end, apprentice triumphed over mentor.

So he waited outside, shivering as a few snow flurries decided to fall despite the prediction that today would be a little warmer. The weather hadn't quite declared winter yet, but it was only a matter of time. All the trees had lost their leaves, and the sky had been a perpetual gray the past three weeks.

Kieran shook his hand out, knuckles hurting from where he'd punched a man during the fight. He pulled his glove off of his left hand to inspect any damage, but frowned realizing that it would be impossible to see any bruising through the scars.

He sighed and pulled his glove back on as a loud, shuttering sound filled the air. He looked up as the shadow of an airship passed overhead, hull markings identifying it as the _Farragut_. Kieran shook his head, glad that the weather hadn't turned any nastier today. The _Farragut_ should have been decommissioned _decades_ ago, yet Cid insisted on running it occasionally.

In the extreme cold of winter, the engines would have likely stalled and the gears would have frozen.

He watched it fly overhead and circle around to land in the castle's airship hanger, all the while wondering why he hadn't heard about any airships coming or going today.

Or, maybe he had and hadn't been paying attention. He only listened to half of what Ceodore said, after all.

Kain appeared a moment later and he glanced at him, nodding and pushing off the side of the building.

"All done?"

"Yes, though he wasn't happy," Kain commented as he walked by, heading for the nearest route to the castle.

"I wonder why." Kieran muttered sarcastically.

They continued along the frosty streets, now dusted with light snow, and Kieran took the time to look around the city, marveling at the fact that people had been in the tavern so early in the day. But, he supposed it wasn't really all that strange. Every town had their troublemakers.

"Was that our only new lead on the elixirs?" Kieran finally asked, getting back on topic. He brushed snow off his dark hair as he waited for an answer, hoping that they had another plan.

Kain shrugged, "The only new lead, but I wouldn't worry. This has been going on for a while. I suspect it will take time to weed out everyone that's involved."

Kieran nodded absently, "Mysidia sure is impatient about it,"

"Mysidia can get to work cleaning it up at their end if they really have a problem with it." his mentor grumbled.

Kieran grinned, having fully expected that sort of reaction.

They were approaching the castle now, crossing over one of the bridges when Kain frowned and muttered something under his breath.

Kieran peered at him questioningly and he sighed, "Did an airship fly overhead?"

"Yes, the _Farragut_." the young man replied, earning another sigh from Kain.

"What time is it?" he asked, undoing a buckle on his gauntlet.

His apprentice shrugged, "I don't know…maybe around three o'clock? Why?"

The water gargled underneath them as they walked, Kieran careful about his footing since the bridge often froze over at night and became an icy trap.

"I just remembered I was supposed to meet with the newly promoted captain Anneal." Kain explained, squinting up at the castle, "But I'm also supposed to meet that airship."

Kieran frowned, "Anneal…is that the woman from Troia?"

"Yes,"

He spoke again, "And the airship?"

"An expert Cid invited in to help on his new design." Kain replied.

"The one that doesn't actually start because the calibrating tubes aren't attached to the conductor leads correctly?" Kieran complained, rolling his eyes.

He realized his mentor was pinning him with a look so he frowned and explained, "Don't give me that look. So I happened to see the blueprints…Cid never listens to anyone, anyway. Luca's getting just as bad. I'm surprised they even called someone in to help. Arrogant engineers…"

There was an awkward pause as they entered through the main gate at the castle, getting smacked in the face by the warm air from inside that contrasted the temperature on the streets.

"I can't be in two places at once," Kain complained, stopping in the main hallway and looking both ways with a frown.

Kieran grinned at him and teased, "Too bad you don't still have an evil doppelganger running around."

Kain shot him a flat look. He was just happy to still be able to get a few snide remarks in on his mentor even after all this time.

"Well mister sarcasm," Kain said, rolling his eyes, "How about you go to the airship hanger and meet our guest while I go and sit in a boring meeting."

"Didn't the airship already land?" the young man asked, staring up at his mentor.

Kain smirked at him, "Then I suggest you run."

Kieran shook his head, "Sometimes I hate you,"

He didn't wait for a reply and sped off, knowing that it was highly unlikely he could get into the hanger bay before whoever was on that ship disembarked.

Still, he dodged around corners and people, not bothering to give apologies if he happened to bump into anyone. Mostly these people just wandered the halls, anyway.

The trip would have been easier, and taken less time, if he wasn't wearing armor but he was, so there was no point in dwelling on it.

Before long he rounded one last corner, ran down a hall and flung open the door at the end of it. Kieran was clanking down the metal steps of the hanger bay just as the airship's engines and turbines shut off.

He grinned as he hopped off the last stair and halted in front of the ramp just as it lowered into place.

"_Ha, nice try Kain_," he thought, pleased he had foiled his mentors attempt to cause trouble.

This was not the first time, but unlike in the past, he was getting so used to it that it no longer infuriated him. Now it was more of a game.

A familiar figure walked out onto the ramp and stood at the edge, brushing a strand of teal hair away from her face. She caught Kieran's eye and they both froze, an awkward silence filling the space.

He should have known that it would be Cuore on the airship. Who else would Cid call in from another country? Who else would he call an expert, for that matter?

"Oh," Cuore said, dropping her hand to her side, although the pause between the continued.

She looked older then the last time he'd seen her, and even if that had been many months ago, he suspected her aging had more to do with the Feymarch then actual time. He'd heard a rumor that the summoner had spent a little time there making sure the Eidolons readjusted to their long lost home.

Realizing he should do something to break the silence, Kieran cleared his throat, which led Cuore to smile hesitantly, "Um…I thought Kain was meeting me,"

"He's in a meeting," Kieran replied, averting his gaze, "He didn't tell me I would be meeting you."

Cuore likewise looked away, "Oh, I'm sorry."

"No, not that…there's anything wrong I just…" Kieran trailed off, not sure what to say to her that wouldn't be taken the wrong way.

She rubbed her arm, "Well, he didn't say you'd be meeting me, either. Not that, like you said, I mean, there's nothing wrong with that, it's good to see you, it's just…"

She sighed and shook her head, but then another voice joined in from behind her, cheerful and completely unaware of the awkwardness.

"Sissy!"

Leo bounded out of the airship, smiling broadly, and stopped at her side, looking up at his sister with admiration.

He was older too, Kieran observed as the boy turned to look at him. His smile faded and he frowned, reaching out to grab Cuore's hand as a response to seeing her former arch nemesis.

"I thought Kain was meeting us," Leo said sullenly, making a face.

"He's in a meeting." Kieran replied tightly, wondering if he was going to get this sort of reaction from everyone for his whole life.

Cuore laughed nervously, "Um, yes, so he is…"

Leo was still frowning, but she just tugged his hand and finally stepped off the ramp. Even as she stopped in front of him, she refused to look Kieran in the eye and it bothered him.

They had been on civil terms before, but this meeting made it seem as if they were mortal enemies and he had no idea how to fix it.

"_Civil, ha_." he thought, wincing inwardly. One dance wouldn't clear the air between them, but still, it should have helped.

So far, it looked as though it hadn't.

"Leo coming with me is a surprise, I know," Cuore was saying, smiling down at her brother, "But, well, things happen. I hope it won't be too much of a bother to get him a room as well."

Kieran shook his head, "I'm sure it's fine."

She nodded and twirled a piece of hair around her finger, eyes staring into the distance, "Speaking of rooms…"

Kieran winced, "Sorry, yes, I guess I'm supposed to show you to them, aren't I?"

Cuore laughed nervously again, "No, your fine. I…could probably find them if you'd prefer."

It was her turn to wince and she added quickly, "I meant, if you have something else to do."

"No, I don't…" he said, sighing and then gesturing to the exit, "Shall we?"

Cuore nodded and moved forward, Leo in toe, while Kieran sighed once more and then followed a few paces behind.

"_You are so dead for this, Kain_."

His mentor should have at least warned him it was Cuore. It wouldn't have changed the fact that they would be forced to interact if she were here, but at least he would have had some time to prepare.

"_I noticed Ceodore didn't say anything, either_." Kieran complained to himself, trying not to shuffle his feet. He didn't want to come across as a child having a tantrum.

Leo was still glaring at him, holding Cuore's hand and walking at her side with measured steps.

Kieran just stared back at him, almost wishing he'd make a comment. At least it would have broken the awkward silence.

Cuore would never be one to start a conversation if she didn't have too, so it fell to him to attempt to sort this out. Kieran was fairly certain this would end badly.

"How are you?"

Cuore seemed startled by the question and slowed her pace, glancing at him and then averting her eyes, "I'm…fine. You?"

"Fine."

Another awkward pause.

Kieran wanted to groan at that unsuccessful exchange but instead he tried again, making a question that would require some thought for her to answer.

"Why did you let Cid talk you into coming?"

Cuore's lips twitched slightly, "Well, I feel a little badly for destroying the _Voyager_."

"Why? I was the one driving it." Kieran remarked, trying to inject some measure of humor into this talk before it dissolved.

Cuore blinked, "True. Though if you hadn't taken over, Ceodore would have likely crashed it anyway."

He paused, not sure if she was kidding or not. Cuore had a way of making comments that should have been sarcastic sound normal.

The conversation dropped away again.

They ascended a set of stairs, heading for the upper levels that contained the guest rooms. The windows they passed showed that more snow had begun to fall, and Kieran idly noted that despite the wintery conditions, Cuore was wearing sandals.

He decided not to question why on the off chance it would offend her.

They didn't speak again until they reached the hallway of the guest wing, both sides containing doors that led to the identical rooms within.

"Take your pick," Kieran said, waving an arm around, "No one else is here. Ursula's coming but not until the end of the week."

Cuore nodded and Leo finally released her hand to dash forward and throw open a door, inspecting the room inside with childish delight.

Kieran noticed how Cuore watched her younger brother with a soft expression on her face, obviously enjoying his antics.

"Leo seems excited to be here with you," he said quietly, not really thinking.

Apparently, that was the chosen topic to pull Cuore out of her shell, and she smiled. "Yes, though I suspect by the time I'm through working on this airship, he'll be bored. But right now, he is pleased to be on an adventure with his sister."

She chuckled lowly, "Some adventure…trapped in Baron castle in the dead of winter."

"So why'd you bring him?" Kieran asked. He hoped that didn't sound like an accusation; he really was curious.

Her smile twisted, displaying an emotion he couldn't place, but one that didn't alter the happiness in her eyes. "I think…my parents wanted some time to themselves…and Leo could use a little distraction, too."

She glanced at him, finally, and mentioned, "Don't tell anyone, especially not Leo, but my parents are going to have another child. I'm not sure when. They think I don't know, but it's really quite obvious."

Kieran wasn't sure why she had decided to share something like that with him, nor did he have any idea what to say in reply, but they were diverted from further interaction by Leo.

Now finished with his review of all the rooms, he declared which one he would like in a very polite fashion, and mentioned it had the best view.

Cuore ruffled his hair, "Then I'll take the one right across the hall, okay?"

He nodded at her, "Sounds good."

Cuore smiled, but didn't look at Kieran when she spoke, "Thank you for meeting us."

Kieran shrugged, "Sure. I'll tell Cid you made it here and are settling in."

She nodded, Leo continued to glare, and Kieran decided he didn't want to be any longer.

With a hasty goodbye he pattered back down the stairs and exhaled sharply, muttering under his breath, "That was awkward."

* * *

The airship hanger was a battlefield of screaming, profanities, and the sounds of objects being thrown.

Kieran frowned and wandered inside, walking straight into one of Luca and Cid's more colorful fights. The other workers just watched, shaking their heads and taking bets as to who would win.

"I told you this would happen!" Luca shouted, throwing down her wrench in annoyance, almost flattening Calca.

Brina moved away from her other side, just in case. She was still holding another wrench.

"You don't know the _Farragut_ like I do!" Cid retorted from across the hanger, perched on the airship's deck, throwing something around as well.

Luca growled, "That's because I'm not old like you and this relic of a ship! The damn thing is shot, just give it up! Scrap the damn thing and be done with it!"

"Scrap it?!" he said, alarmed, "No! Never!"

"You waited to do this until I get ready to leave, too, typical!" Luca continued.

Kieran sighed, already fed up.

And Ceodore wondered why he didn't spend more time down here.

"You leaving is your choice, missy!"

That much as true. But it was always like this. Luca didn't like the cold for obvious reasons so she always returned to the dwarves for the winter months, only to return when the flowers were back in bloom. She'd actually stayed longer this year because the new ship was apparently remarkably excited.

Kieran thought the design was garish.

Cid swore about something on the _Farragut_ being burned out and threw another hammer down with surprising force.

"There you go, starting to throw a tantrum!" Luca cried, tossing her hands up, "I give up! I wanted to fix the problem with the cyclic turbine controls before I left, but no. You have to fret about _that_ ship instead of _this_ one!"

"Why don't you yell a little louder, Luca," Cid shouted, "I don't think they heard you in Agart!"

She growled, but before he had to endure anymore of their bickering, Kieran wandered over, grabbing a short handled wrench on the way, and shoved Luca out of the way.

He scowled at the completely disassembled insides of the ship but nevertheless adjusted a few parts and then clicked the cyclic cogs back into place with brute force.

He glared at Luca, "Adjusting the flow pressure will allow you to realign the cyclic turbine controls, but it won't work if you don't make room for another set of tempo cogs. You need three, not two. The extra one takes care of the friction for the other two turbines so they don't lock up."

She stared at him, he glanced at Cid and finished, "And Cuore is here."

Kieran tossed the wrench to Calca, who caught it, and stalked back towards the hanger entrance.

"Hey, wait!"

Kieran groaned and paused, looking back to see Cid waving wildly from the deck of the _Farragut_.

"How'd you know what was even wrong with the turbines?"

Kieran hesitated, not sure how to explain that when Cid pointed at him, "Ah ha! I knew it. You looked at the blueprints, didn't you?"

"They were a mess." he admitted, knowing what was coming next.

Cid heaved a sigh, "Blueprints were never my thing. You have to go by trial and error."

"Mostly error," Kieran muttered under his breath as Cid continued. "You should be down here helping us! Its wasted talent you have! Wasted!"

This was not a new discussion.

Kieran turned back around and continued his escape, calling back, "Cid, my answer is the same as the last hundred times you've asked."

He heard some more shouts behind him but chose to ignore them. His shift was almost over and he still needed to check on Kain and report.

* * *

Kieran fully expected to find Kain, smack him for the surprise visitor and then find somewhere quiet to write up his report of the disastrous afternoon.

He did not, however, expect for Kain _and_ Cecil to find him and be asked to go over the tavern incident while they walked.

Kieran didn't like giving reports verbally. It was hard to write attitude onto paper, but he still hadn't mastered keeping it out of his voice.

But still, if the king _really_ wanted to know…

"I was given false information from Kain that there was _no need to bring weapons_ since we were _just having a simple conversation_. We arrived, I was guarding the door in case our mark tried to bolt and the next thing I know, all hell has broken loose and there's a brawl erupting. I have no idea what started it."

He took a deep breath and continued, "Then I almost got cut in the face by a broken bottle and punched, but luckily I am unharmed."

Kain was staring at him, less than impressed, but Cecil looked amused, if anything. "Your attention to detail is remarkable, Kieran."

He nodded, "I try."

Kain rolled his eyes but was distracted when he was asked a serious question by Cecil.

"I take it all did not go as planned?"

Kain shook his head, "No, I hadn't even gotten to asking anything before he already knew why we were there. If it makes you feel better, he did try to hit me first."

"I'll be sure to let the irate barkeeper know that."

Kieran wondered if they were in trouble, but decided not to dwell on it. They could tell him later if they thought they needed too. Besides, he hadn't done anything wrong.

They continued to walk the hallway, heading towards the inner sections of the castle and Kieran was growing fidgety, wanting to leave the conversation before he had to speak anymore. He knew what was coming.

All too soon he was proven correct.

"And our…guest is here safely?" Cecil asked.

Kieran rolled his eyes, "You don't have to use code words. I already know Cuore is visiting." He frowned and glanced between the two, "It's kind of hard not too when you're the one meeting the ship…"

Cecil glanced at Kain, annoyed, and the other man shrugged, "I had that appointment with Candace Anneal."

"Oh, was that today?"

"Yes," Kain muttered, "Two hours of my life I'll never get back."

Kieran wasn't sure if he should still be mad about them glazing over Cuore's visit. It stung slightly that they kept it a secret, or even that they thought they had too.

Yes, they weren't the best of friends, but that changed nothing. They were civil. He didn't hate her and she didn't hate him. That should have been enough.

"She arrived without incident?" Cecil asked.

Kieran grit his teeth, biting back a few comments on how that could have been taken the wrong way. Instead he muttered; "Yes."

What did they think, that he had done something? Or was he overreacting and the king merely meant the weather?

He didn't know and he didn't want to a find out. His shift ended five minutes ago and he wasn't in the mood to stick around longer then he had too.

Unfortunately, the other men started talking about things unrelated to work and Kieran fidgeted, staying one step behind them and musing that they had probably forgotten he was even there.

That happened a lot. But it was a good way to hear gossip.

"So," Kain said, "Ursula is coming to visit again?"

Cecil gave a sort of half shrug, unconcerned, and Kain shook his head, "She should start paying taxes."

"What do you mean?"

"She practically lives here."

Cecil frowned, but looked thoughtful, "Not really…"

"She was_ just_ here," Kain retorted, holding up his hands as they rounded a corner, "and she stayed for over a week."

"That was last month." Cecil mentioned, as if a few weeks was a great expanse of time.

Kain was unmoved, "With how much Ursula and Ceodore fly back and forth, you should give Fabul an airship."

"But then _everyone_ would want one," Cecil said jokingly, "Especially Edge. He's always shilling for one."

"And yet his daughter is here fixing ours. Ironic." the dragoon muttered.

"Very."

Kain gave his friend a look, "But seriously, those two…?"

Cecil just stared him, expression blank.

Kain frowned, "Don't tell me you're _that_ stupid."

"Did you just call me stupid?" the king asked, sounding surprised.

"Implied." his friend countered.

Cecil frowned, looked like he wanted to say something, but then thought better of it. Instead, he shrugged after a moment, "I understand what you're indicating, but…well, let's not talk about this with Rosa around…"

"Which is why we aren't," Kain mentioned with a wide gesture to the empty halls.

Kieran, deciding he had overheard enough for one day, commented from behind them, "Rosa's going to be mad once she finds out. Maybe I'll tell her for fun."

They both looked startled and stopped walking to stare at him. Kieran grinned, "You forgot I was still here, didn't you?"

Kain was scowling at him, "Why _are_ you still here?"

"No one told me to go anywhere else." he retorted, feeling entirely innocent in the matter.

Cecil, who didn't look as unhappy as his mentor, frowned at him, "Surely you have something better to do,"

Kieran shrugged largely at that comment, "Eh, that's debatable."

"Go." Kain said dryly, obviously done with his antics for one day.

Kieran grinned again, "So, I'm dismissed?" he asked cheekily.

This time his mentor pointed off down the hall, "Yes, go!"

Still grinning, he gave a lazy, mocking salute before turning and leaving them alone, but not before he heard Cecil mention; "You wanted to train him."

* * *

Cuore had never seen the airship hanger look so disorderly.

It almost hurt her eyes to gaze down at the sheer chaos below. There were two airship hulls that were in varying stages of construction while parts were scattered across whatever floor space was left and heaped in piles. Tools were tossed onto two long tables off to the one side and a pile of notebooks and scrolls were drifting precariously on the edge of one table.

She must have been staring for a while because Leo tugged on her arm, "Cuore,"

She shook herself out of her disgusted daze and glanced down at him, he was peering up at her worriedly, "You okay?"

"Yes, but the sheer amount of…_mess_ caught me off guard." she replied, frowning.

Leo grinned, "Yeah,"

Cuore shot him a brief smile and descended the metal steps cautiously, still uneasy with the disorder below. She didn't enjoy stepping into someone else's workspace to begin with, but it was even worse when that workspace was a complete disaster.

Before she could set foot on the stone flooring of the actual hanger, Luca called to her from across the room, waving madly.

Cuore smiled and waved back, surprised to see the dwarf woman in the dead of winter.

They met at the edge of the first piles of mess she had spotted earlier and Luca gave her a quick hug before exclaiming, "I'm so glad you're here!"

Cuore smiled slightly, "Well, you did invite me,"

"Yes, but it took a lot for Cid to agree to do that. He really wants to make the next generation of airships by himself and all that." Luca explained, rolling her eyes. "He doesn't seem to get it that he _can't_."

Cuore gestured to the half-done hulls, "It appears as though you've started off well enough,"

Luca put her hands on her hips and turned to stare at their new ships, "The hulls are always the easiest. We barely modify those from our first designs. Cid could make one in his sleep. The insides, now that's where the problems come in!"

Cuore nodded, "Makes sense. You've been working with more and more electric circuits and internal combustion technologies. It's likely that you will encounter difficulties."

Luca grinned, "That's why you're here!"

She slapped the teal haired teen on the back and then pointed off towards the _Falcon_, "Hey, I'm boarding in a few minutes to leave for the Underworld. Is there anything else you need before I leave?"

Cuore shrugged, "I was surprised to see you still here,"

"I had to greet you!" the pink clad woman said, flashing her another grin, "Especially since Cid and I couldn't be here when you first came in." Her expression became hesitant, "Was everything…okay?"

Cuore made a face, confused as to what she was implying.

"I had no travel difficulties."

"And…Kieran?" Luca pried.

Cuore frowned, "What about him?"

"Well…" the dwarf trailed off, "I…just….Cid and I wanted to be here but I made him go to the white mages. He's been coming down with a cold but refusing to skip work. I didn't want Kieran to meet you."

Cuore felt a little defensive. Yes, the meeting had been extremely awkward, but nothing had happened and she wondered why Luca seemed to think something would have.

"It was fine." she assured her, shaking her head slightly.

That answer seemed to relieve the other woman somewhat and she nodded, once again smiling.

Cuore glanced over at the tables of work, noticing that Leo was balanced on tip-toe to look over the contents.

"I'd like to see the blueprints before I start tinkering around with what you have."

Luca shrugged and went over to pull all of the papers off the desk, "Sure, but good luck. Cid…doesn't really do blueprints. He likes to keep everything in his memory."

She passed the scrolls and notebooks over and flashed a cheeky grin, "Good luck."

Cuore frowned at the items in her hands and replied dryly, "Thanks."

Luca departed a few minutes later and Cuore sat down, unrolling one set of blueprints and grimacing at the incomplete notes and diagrams. This was going to be more difficult then she thought.

Leo had found some interesting transistors and was making faces at them and she grinned, beckoning him over with a wave.

"What do these do?" he asked.

"They regulate power output." she replied.

Leo still seemed unimpressed, "I don't see what's so special about airships…"

"Well, they fly, Leo." Cuore commented.

He shrugged, "So what?"

Cuore chuckled and ruffled his hair, "You want to help me organize all this? I can't work like this."

Leo grinned, "We'd better do it before Cid gets back!"

She giggled and nodded, "Definitely."

* * *

Baron had always seemed so large, but Kieran was realizing over the past three days that it wasn't really. He'd run into Cuore more times then he'd wanted too.

Whenever he was looking for Ceodore, he always found her instead.

On an errand for Rosa, he bumped into her in a random hallway.

On his way outside, he'd passed her in the main entrance of the castle.

It was odd that she was out and about so much considering she was supposed to be working on airships, but then again, he knew Cid had a meltdown because she'd rearranged his entire workspace. Maybe she'd been kicked out on a few occasions. It wasn't uncommon for Cid to do that. He even barred Cecil from entering once.

Kieran was glad someone had cleaned up the mess that was the airship hanger. Even their finished and operating ships couldn't lift off and land properly with all the junk laying around.

On all these occasions he ran into the teal haired teen, she avoided conversation save for once when she asked him if any shops in Baron sold platinum or old tubing.

They did not, and she'd made a disappointed face before wandering off.

But never, not once, had she made eye contact.

It was driving him nuts, and he wondered if he should seek her out purposely to deal with what seemed to be a problem. But then again, he seemed to see her more when he wasn't looking for her.

At the moment, he was more annoyed at Ceodore, anyway.

"Please, Kieran?" the prince whined.

He sighed, "I don't see why Ursula needs anyone to meet her anyway, she's been here a bunch of times. She practically lives here. She knows her way from the airship hanger to the guest wing and probably everywhere in the castle by now."

Ceodore fidgeted, "Yeah, but…well, I told her I'd meet her, and then mom decided she wanted my help with-"

Kieran scowled at him and crossed his arms, "So I'm covering for you?"

"What are friends for?" Ceodore said hopefully.

Kieran just stared back impassably, "Is that what we are? Is that why you didn't tell me about Cuore's visit?"

A guilty expression flashed across the prince's face and he winced, "Well, I…that wasn't intentional…"

"Sure it wasn't…"

Ceodore sighed, "Please, Kieran? You're off duty…"

"After two night shifts in a row of mind numbing gate duty! I want to sleep, not meet your girlfriend for you!"

"She's not my-"

Kieran ignored him and continued, "Besides, Cuore is in the airship hanger, so why can't they have girly chat or whatever and I can have a few hours' sleep?"

Ceodore blinked in realization, "Wait, are you…avoiding the airship bay because Cuore is down there?"

"When was the last time I willingly set foot inside it?" Kieran countered, glancing out the window, "It has nothing to do with her."

"…This was why we didn't want to tell you,"

His gaze snapped back to his friend, "We?"

Ceodore winced but ignored the implied question and just kept speaking, "I'm sorry, I didn't really think that you probably don't want-"

"It has nothing to do with her!" Kieran snapped.

Why was everyone making problems where there weren't any? Sure, their meetings had been awkward, but it could've been so much worse. Cuore and he weren't at each other's throats, they were mutually avoiding each other. And maybe that was for the best, in the end.

"Still, I'm sorry." Ceodore said, frowning and looking around his room, "I don't want to make this more difficult for you then it is already."

Kieran glared at him, "It's not difficult, there's nothing wrong between us."

Ceodore just stared at him skeptically and Kieran narrowed his eyes, pushing off the wall and pointing at him. "You don't believe me, do you? Fine! I'll go and meet that airship if it will shut you up."

Ceodore opened his mouth to say something else but Kieran just slammed the door closed on his voice, annoyed.

He wandered down the hallway but slowed his pace when he realized he'd just been played.

"Damn." he muttered, glaring back the way he came, "Nicely played, Ceodore…"

The prince was pretty good at manipulation.

* * *

Cuore was busy scribbling in a borrowed notebook, re-doing all the blueprints that Cid had half started in miniature form. She needed diagrams and notes to help sort through this clutter but at the moment, Cid and her were at odds.

He insisted they didn't need something other than copper for conductors. Cuore informed him, as nicely as she could, that the amount of power he wanted to regulate needed something that could be charged more.

They'd been a rather explosive argument on Cid's side about this while Cuore had just frowned at him and let him know that a tantrum would not help the design process any.

He hadn't spoken with her since then. In fact, he was across the bay in his corner, once again a mess, while she worked on her side.

Cuore glanced up at him and shook her head before returning to her own work.

She did feel badly that the conversation had taken such a drastic turn, but he had asked her here to help, and she knew what had to be done. His pride was probably wounded, but honestly Cuore could care less.

She was smarter than the entire world, _put together_, likely, and he had requested her help.

Cuore sighed when she realized that half of the hydraulic systems weren't even listed in the layout of the ship. They were physically there, but his designs omitted them.

No wonder Luca went mad.

Her work was interrupted by another airship landing in the hanger, this one painted a garish purple color. Cuore squinted across the hanger and saw Ursula step off the ramp with a toss of her golden hair.

Perking up, she waved and called, "Ursula!"

The other young woman looked around and then waved back, hurrying over and then skidded to a stop once she entered 'Cuore's zone' where the floor had been cleared and the piles were neatly stacked and organized.

"Whoa, what happened?" Ursula asked, shocked.

Cuore grinned, "This is my work station."

Her friend flashed her a grin, "Well then, that explains it."

They embraced and her friend asked, "I'm glad you're still here! I wasn't sure if I'd get to see you this trip! How have you been?"

Cuore sat back down on the stool in front of her desk, "Well, fine, I suppose."

"That's it, just fine?" Ursula asked, crossing her arms, "Come on, what's been happening lately?"

Cuore nervously brushed at her hair, "Nothing, really. It's just been the usual."

The blonde princess was obviously disappointed by her lack of news, and Cuore felt a little badly.

The truth was, she hadn't done anything noteworthy. There'd been a quick trip to the Feymarch to resolve a scuffle between her Eidolons and some of the others. Old wounds were still fresh, it seemed, and sometimes things got out of hand. Luckily, Asura seemed mostly reserved to the fact that she was a summoner now, and that everything had worked out in the end. The Feymarch had been busy recovering, but it had very little to do with her.

Back home, things were normal. Blessedly so.

Leo went to classes, her mother studied, her father avoided boring meetings. Cuore was glad for the normalcy, for the stability there. She preferred nothing happening to a rush of activity. Besides, winter was always a little quieter in Eblan.

And it's not like she could tell Ursula about the possibility of another little sibling on the way.

Ursula drew her back to the present with a shrug, "Well, I can't say anything exciting has really happened here, either. Or in Fabul. It's just…life, you know? But hey, Ceodore said Leo was here with you?"

Cuore smiled at mention of her younger brother and nodded, "Yes, he is."

"So, where is he?"

Cuore chuckled, "He got bored watching me work and so I sent him off to find something fun to do. So far, he's been doing well to stay out of trouble but still keep himself entertained."

She laughed again and rolled her eyes, "Though yesterday, apparently he'd been trying to follow Kain around. Kieran bought him back down here to me and he spent the rest of the day disappointed because he failed….or something. I'm not really sure…but he was sulking."

Ursula stiffened, "Um…how are things with…you and…Kieran? I mean, you know…considering."

Cuore frowned at her friend, "Fine, why does everyone keep asking me that?"

Ursula stared at her, dumbfounded. "Why?" she repeated, "Because, Cuore, you two…I mean, you weren't exactly _friends_. I'm just concerned about your visit, is all."

She sighed, "It's fine, really. It's awkward, but that's to be expected."

"Then…he's been nice?" Ursula pressed.

Cuore gave her a half smile, "Is Kieran ever _nice_?"

The blonde chuckled, though her worry didn't seem to fade. Honestly Cuore was a little insulted people thought they needed to meddle in her affairs and friendships so much. She could handle Kieran Astor; she didn't need help, and besides, he hadn't even done anything this trip.

Ursula's attention had been diverted to the upper catwalk of the hanger, near the doors and mumbled, "Speak of the devil…"

Cuore followed her gaze and noticed that Kieran had entered and was walking, rather slowly, down the steps.

Ursula crossed her arms and commented before he had made it to meet them, "I was expecting Ceodore to meet me,"

Kieran snorted and hopped off the last two steps, "He tricked me into coming instead."

"So you're here to cover for him?" Ursula asked, rising an eyebrow.

Kieran shrugged, "Something like that. I'm not sure why you need anyone to meet you anyway."

Ursula sighed, "He and I will have words later about promises,"

A smile slipped to show she was teasing and she headed for the steps, "Hey, I'll see you later, you two!"

Cuore set up straight to wave her off, "Bye!"

Kieran watched her go and then sighed, "I walked all the way down here, and for what?"

Cuore tried not to grin at his expense and leaned her elbows on the table in front of her, averting her gaze away from him though she commented, "Seems like Ceodore is going to be getting more than one talk later,"

Kieran glanced at her, and she paused, hand poised mid-air to pick up her pen where she'd left it.

There was an awkward pause and then they both looked away.

"_So much for telling everyone nothing is wrong_…" Cuore thought, flustered. She had no idea how to act around Kieran or what to say. She always started to be herself and then lost her nerve to actually speak.

The pause continued for a moment before Kieran turned all the way around, remarking, "Well, at least this place looks better since you've been here."

Cuore watched him leave and chewed on her lip, wondering if she should have tried to jump on that comment and form a conversation out of it. But what sort of conversation would it be? A halted one, no doubt, like every other one they'd had.

Cuore groaned and slumped in her seat, pushing the distraction away and once again focusing on the whole reason she was here.

Airships.

* * *

Kieran wasn't sure what task he loathed more; gate duty at night or clearing the roads to Baron for idiotic travelers deciding to wander alone in the dead of winter.

He swatted a Helldiver away from his face with the flat edge of his swallow, but the bird turned sharply away, curving at the last second and fly upwards.

He'd lost count of how many of the pesky monsters had swarmed, but he knew for a fact that he and his comrades had yet to take any of them down.

They should have brought an archer with them, but no one had known it would be birds attacking and not some of the other creatures that occasionally snuck about.

"I can't shake him!" one of his comrades shouted.

Kieran glanced towards the voice to see Hobby, by far the most theatrical of his roommates, running in circles while a Helldiver repeated struck at his armor.

Tycho hesitated as he watched, looking reluctant to strike, "Well, stop running! I can't hit him if you're both moving!"

Kieran thought they were being dramatic. Yes, the little monsters were obnoxious as hell with the way they darted in, pecked you, and then flew away, but they were hardly light threatening.

He flinched as one of the birds swooped down on his head.

He tried to push his blade upwards to skewer the bird, but all he got was a set of feathers as the creature flapped away.

He frowned but was distracted as Jansen, the final member of the group and one of the most annoying people Kieran had ever met, triumphantly declared he had finally gotten one.

"_Great, he'll be unbearable to live with now_," Kieran thought, annoyed.

The man they were attempting to apparently rescue from the Helldivers was cowering behind his cart of wears, and would occasionally shout unhelpful advice out to them.

Kieran almost wanted to let the man get at least one nasty peck mark for their troubles.

Suddenly there was an uproarious cawing from the remaining birds and they all flew to land in branches, surrounding the company.

"Uh…" Hobby said, backing up, "What are they doing?"

"Getting ready to attack," Kieran snapped, "I'm pretty sure they're pissed off you just killed one."

He gestured with his swallow to the dead body of their friend, and Jansen shrugged, "Well, _one_ of us had to do something,"

"But Helldivers are notoriously familial," Kieran retorted, glancing quickly at the other man before returning his attention to the branches. "Not to mention territorial and probably hungry. It _is_ winter."

"What's your point?" Jansen asked, sounding unimpressed.

Kieran sighed, "My _point_ is that they're going to be highly aggressive!"

He was proven correct when the cawing abruptly caught off and the birds became deathly still, only to shoot from their branches with surprising speed.

Hobby could only mutter an; "Uh oh." Before the birds were upon them.

Their talons raked like knives, and Kieran winced at the harsh sound of nails against metal as he raised his gauntleted arm to protect his face.

It didn't really matter, as another one got a partial score across the back of his neck. He winced and turned, batting one bird away with his arm while he impaled another.

There was one good thing about the Helldivers being frenzied; they weren't as swift or organized, they were berserk. It made them easier to hit.

Kieran lost track of how many birds he cleaved, impaled or otherwise killed, but after a few minutes, the ruckus had died down and the snow on the ground was stained with the oddly colored purplish blood of the monsters.

Hobby was busy shaking his sword in an attempt to remove a Helldiver's body from it, but he seemed to be making little progress.

Kieran rolled his eyes and turned away, looking instead to the merchant who had finally decided to stand up, though he was anything but thankful.

"Sure took you long enough! I had no idea I'd be confronted on my way to Baron. Haven't been here in years, and this is the welcome I receive."

"You're welcome." Jansen muttered.

For once, Kieran agreed with the blonde man and found the merchant's attitude annoying. Besides, what moron traveled around with his cart full of wears in the dead of winter? It was _not _trading season. He was lucky a snowstorm hadn't come up instead. They would have been powerless to help him, then.

"Well," Tycho said diplomatically, "At least it's over now and we'll escort you the rest of the way."

The man snorted, "So what? You've not impressed me so far,"

Kieran squinted at the man, finding his almost annoying accent familiar. That and his hat.

"O'aka?" he asked, still unsure.

The man returned his attention to him, though he didn't seem to recognize him, "Eh? Have we met, lad?"

Kieran was faintly relieved to know his memory was as good as he thought and he smiled slightly as he replied.

"Kieran. Kieran Astor."

Now O'aka's expression change and he blinked twice before finding his voice again. "_Kieran_?" he repeated, "The little boy that always had that ratty notebook with him?"

Kieran winced, somewhat embarrassed about the mention of a notebook he still held. Granted, it was rattier then ever; burned from the fire and damaged beyond belief.

But that was a depressing thought, so he didn't say anything aloud.

"Guilty as charged," he commented instead, shaking the man's hand. "I haven't seen you in _years_."

O'aka chuckled, "Yes, been around the world and back, I have." His features turned guilty, "Listen, I'm sorry I've not been in contact. Heard about what happened, I did, but…"

He trailed off regretfully and Kieran shrugged, waving a hand to dismiss his comment. A year ago he probably would have snapped the man's head with a few choice words, but he'd wasted enough energy on being angry with people for no reason.

He had no next of kin, but that didn't mean it fell on old family friends to take care of him.

"Don't worry about it." Kieran assured him, "Things happen. It _is_ good to see you again, though."

"It is!" O'aka agreed, back to his cheerful self, "Didn't recognize you, lad,"

Tycho snorted, "Why would you want too?"

Hobby, finally recovered from the attack, nodded, "Yeah, not much to see."

Kieran rolled his eyes in an exaggerated motion while facing O'aka so only he could see the action.

Jansen had the last word, "Didn't know Kieran was able to _make_ friends,"

Kieran glared over his shoulder, "Shut up, Jansen."

They snickered, he just glared for a second more before returning his attention to O'aka. Sometimes he surprised himself that his roommates weren't dead yet. He was not a patient person.

"Why are you traveling in winter? A merchant as experienced as you knows this isn't a good time for trading or errands,"

O'aka sighed, "True, true, though my last adventure left me in need of a change of scenery. Kaipo's too warm even in winter, I say."

Kieran tilted his head, "Kaipo? Then why are you on this road, shouldn't you have-"

O'aka cut him off, "Hate to admit it but I _tried_ to go to Mist. Got scared in that cavern though. People say it's haunted, you know. I sure felt like I wasn't welcome."

Kieran decided to not bother telling him it wasn't really haunted. Besides, as much as O'aka was a family friend, he was also irritating as a merchant. Mist would likely have kicked him out within a day even if he had made it to their borders.

They began their trip back towards the city, and thankfully the roads seemed mostly clear of anymore monster activity.

"Before Kaipo I was in Troia for a while." O'aka explained as they walked. Kieran opted to stay away from his comrades and walk next to the merchant instead.

"Weird place, though it is as beautiful as people say." he finished.

Kieran glanced curiously into his cart, "So, what are you transporting that couldn't wait a few months?"

O'aka shrugged, "Bits and bobs. The usual items and some Troian herbal remedies. Also have some old hovercar parts. No one anywhere but Baron will even look at them, I suspect."

Kieran paused, "You…wouldn't happen to have an old exhaust manifold, would you?"

There was an awkward pause and O'aka chuckled nervously, "I've not clue, lad. What does it look like?"

He sighed and then attempted to explain, "It's…a device with usually two or three tubes wrapped up and around."

O'aka stopped walking and dug around for a moment while Kieran waited patiently at his side, casting a lazy glanced up the road where the other three escorts were getting further and further ahead. Obviously they were eager to be out of the cold and couldn't care less about the merchant.

"Is it…this?" O'aka asked, holding up an item.

Kieran nodded, "Yes! Exactly that."

He took it and looked it over, "This is in pretty good shape, too. It looks like it only needs a slight conversion to this one end to hook it into the catalytic converter…"

O'aka chuckled again, "You and your airships. Maybe I have some other parts for you, yes?"

Kieran shook his head, "It's not for me. I…well, it's a long story."

O'aka looked like he wanted to ask more questions, but Kieran just held the manifold out to him again, "But, I know someone who might want to buy some old parts for you."

The merchant surprised him by pushing the machine back into his hands, "Take it. You're the only person I know who gets so excited over old metal."

He regarded him skeptically, "Are you sure?"

"Yes," O'aka said, tipping his hat to him, "Consider it a gift from an old friend."

Kieran grinned, "Thanks."

They started walking again and the merchant gave him a puzzled look, "Might I ask, though. If you don't work on airships, then what is that for?"

Kieran hesitated, not sure how to properly word the purpose of needing this item.

"It's…a gift." he settled on. Inwardly, however, he tacked on; "_A peace offering, more like_…"

* * *

The castle was quiet when they returned and Kieran received a few confused looks as he walked the hallways carrying his new manifold.

It took him a few minutes to find Cuore, and when he did she trailed off mid-sentence in her conversation with Ursula.

The blonde princess noticed the disturbance right away and glanced between the two of them.

Kieran stopped a few paces from them and hesitated, wondering how he was going to bring up the purpose of seeking her out.

As usual, Cuore averted her eyes and would be of no help to this conversation.

Kieran decided to be direct since he usually was anyway, and held the exhaust manifold out to her.

"Here,"

Ursula wrinkled her nose, "And we would want that….because?"

Cuore carefully took the item, "An exhaust manifold…"

"I know you need one to replace the burned out one on the airship. You'll need to convert the junction port on the side," he explained, pointing to it. "But other than that it's in good shape."

Cuore blinked at the item in her hands, "How did-?"

"You mentioned that you needed one," he reminded her, surprised she forgot telling him that.

She paused, as if thinking about it, and starting to walk forward, "I did, didn't I? I'm amazed you remembered…"

He frowned, "I do listen to you,"

"I'm surprised."

"That what? I'm not a complete jerk all the time and only occasionally?"

"That isn't what I meant," Cuore murmured, shaking her head. Kieran sighed and grabbed her arm, pulling her to a halt.

"This has to stop." he said.

She was staring at him anxiously so he continued, releasing her arm, "I'm worried that you're going to take everything I say the wrong way. I thought we were on good terms. I thought we had settled everything. Please, let me know if I was mistaken."

She visible sagged, "No, no, we did, I'm…worried too, about offending you. I…don't really know…what to say to you."

"It's not just words," he grumbled, annoyed, "You won't even look at me."

She bit her lip, eyes averted to the side, proving his point. "I'm sorry,"

Kieran groaned, "I don't want an apology, I want things to be less awkward between us."

Cuore sighed and finally looked at him, blue eyes troubled, "Things are never going to be normal with us, Kieran. You know that, right?"

He frowned, "That's not-"

"What do you see when you look at me?" she demanded.

It was a trick question, he knew that.

"Not a Maenad if that's what you're implying." Kieran retorted, looking away, "And I don't appreciate you thinking you know who I am, because you don't."

Cuore sighed and they stood in silence for a moment before she spoke up again, "I don't want to hurt you."

Kieran had already planned a few more things to tell her, heatedly, but her words made them fade and he blinked at her, surprised.

She didn't want to _hurt_ him? What did that even mean?

He was more confused than anything, and perhaps, slightly touched that she was that concerned about his feelings even if she'd gone about this entirely the wrong way.

Cuore must have taken his silence to mean something bad because she winced and averted her gaze, turning the mechanical device over and over in her hands.

He decided he had to say something to break this awkwardness but then he glanced in annoyance at Ursula, who was just watching and hadn't said anything. He'd almost forgotten she was there at all, but once his gaze rested on her she shifted, knowing she was found out.

"Awkward turtle," she mentioned with a hesitant smile.

Kieran frowned at her, "Not helping Ursula. Can you go…bug Ceodore or something? I need to talk to Cuore. Alone."

The blonde princess hesitated and looked at Cuore, as if making sure she had her consent to leave. Kieran felt slightly insulted but also understood and merely waited impatiently while they had their no-word, girl-chat.

Finally Ursula nodded to Cuore and turned, catching Kieran's eyes before she moved away completely.

The look on her face was a warning.

He frowned, annoyed she thought he was going to make the situation worse.

"_I'm the one suggesting we fix this_!" he thought, waiting for her to move far enough away where she couldn't eavesdrop before he returned his attention to Cuore.

She hadn't moved, but she was finally looking at him…

…With a petrified, preoccupied expression.

His frown deepened and she started chewing her lip, looking more anxious by the second.

Kieran finally sighed and rubbed his forehead, "Look, I…"

He what?

Wanted to be friends? Wanted to forget that there was a history between them? Wanted to ignore all the darkness that had happened?

Cuore took a deep breath, speaking slowly as if she was picking her words carefully, "I…appreciate your…dedication to trying to…maintain a sense of civility between us,"

Kieran frowned again, "I sense a '_however_' coming,"

"However," she said, shooting him a sharp look as the word left her mouth, "I feel like…we shouldn't…force this."

"Force _what_?" he asked, exasperated, "You're the one who suggested we try to be friends, and now it's like…it's like you still think I hate you or something."

Cuore looked mildly annoyed, now, "I know what I suggested."

"Then what is the problem?" he asked, irritation seeping into his tone.

Cuore looked away, glaring at a wall, "I…don't know!"

She sounded genuinely confused by their lack of success in mending the relationship and Kieran took a couple of deep breaths, hoping to keep any negative emotions from his tone.

"Are you…" he hesitated, "I told you I didn't hate you, and it was true, but do you…hate me?"

Her eyes shifted back to him with a startled sort of dismay on her face, "What? No!" She swallowed, "I don't hate you, and I know you don't hate me. I'm…concerned that we're going to end up hurting one another again. I'm worried that just by _being here_ I'll make things challenging for you."

Kieran was surprised by how unsettled she seemed about the situation, and it would have been so simple to let everything go right then and there. They could decide to avoid each other for the rest of their lives.

That would be the easy way out, but Kieran didn't really like to do things the easy way.

"I'm willing to take that chance, Cuore." he told her, watching her expression carefully. "I'm worried too, but our only options are to get along or pretend we don't even see each other. Considering we have the same friends, the latter will be difficult."

Cuore relaxed somewhat at his dry humor and she hadn't looked away yet, which was progress.

"Then…we start over? Again?" she asked. This time her voice was coy, almost.

Kieran nodded, "Yes, if we must. Are you willing to take the chance?"

Cuore nodded, smiling hesitantly, "Yes, but do you promise that if…I say something…that you won't be offended? I'm…"

She left the last word unspoken so Kieran offered, "Sarcastic?"

Cuore giggled and nodded, brushing some teal hair behind one ear, "Yes, sarcastic, mocking, a little sassy."

He shrugged one shoulder, "You have no idea who you're talking too. You have to promise to do the same, and to keep eye contact. It makes me…nervous when you get so jumpy."

Cuore smiled, this time looking like she meant it, and nodded, "I shall try."

Kieran held out his hand, "Friends?"

"Friends," Cuore agreed, with a nod of her head and a shake of his hand.

* * *

**Author's Note: I had not intended for the first chapter to be so...long. But, I doubt anyone will complain, will they?**

**There's a few notes I want to go over about this story. It's tagged under "Mystery" as well as adventure because there will be a sort...crime-ish element to this. (I meant it when I said there would be different themes for future stories,) and as such, be watchful when reading for clues of the overall plot. I've already dropped some in.**

**Just think of this as Law and Order: Final Fantasy.**

**Also, there will be three POV in this story that we will switch between; Cuore, Kieran and Leo.**

**There will also be quite a few 'guest stars' as it were that will be orignal characters. Remember, we have to build up a suspect list! I'll try not to have it be annoying with them present, though. Nothing as annoying as OC 'splosion.**

**There's going to be...some world building with this story. But, not what you might expect. In fact, I'm hoping no one will riot...**

**I'll mention more in other A/N, but for now, there was chapter one! Reviews are greatly appreciated!**

**PS. Yes, there is a joke with the names of Kieran's roommates. No, I'm not telling you what it is right away. Props to anyone who gets it.**


	2. Exchange

**Again; not sure how this got so long...**

**Thanks everyone for the great reviews on the opening chapter! This is going to be a fun story, no doubt.**

* * *

Leo skipped through yet another hallway with wide windows, only to stop for a moment and look up at one, seeing a few snowflakes dancing about outside.

He grinned, remembering that yesterday he'd overheard a few of the maids saying it was a 'snow storm'. Obviously they didn't know what a real snowstorm looked like.

Leo resumed his walk, letting his right hand skim the wall as he went. He found this place boring, but while his sister was busy he'd made up a game of trying to remember where everything was in the castle. It was hard since most of the hallways looked the same, but over the last few days, he'd done a good job of keeping a map inside his head.

Mostly. There was yesterday when he'd gotten badly lost and was relieved that Cuore came looking for him. He didn't bother telling her he'd been lost.

She had a way of worrying about him, and if she was worried, then she acted like their mom and might not let him out of her sight for a while.

Then it would be_ really_ boring.

Besides seeing if he could navigate through the corridors of a castle that wasn't his home, he heard a lot of interesting conversations.

Nobody really noticed when he was around, and so they'd continue along with their conversations as if he wasn't. He'd learned some interesting things. Not that he knew what to do with them.

His dad said eavesdropping was rude, but it was a habit Leo had trouble breaking. It was easy, and it was fun, and so far nothing bad had come of his 'over-hearing'.

Leo peeked around a corner, pretending that he was sneaking around when really he wasn't. If he had to find ways to entertain himself, then he would.

But he did actually see something interesting around the corner; other children about his age, dressed it really awful looking and colorful clothes.

Curious, Leo continued to watch, cheek pressed against the cool stone of the wall.

There were three of them, and the two taller boys were doing most of the talking. The last boy was just staring at them with wide eyes.

Leo was surprised when one of the taller boys gave the smallest a shove. He stumbled back a few steps and bumped into the wall behind him. The other kid flicked his wide brimmed hat off his head. It went fluttering to the ground beside him.

The first bully said something and then smacked a stack of books out of the smallest boy's hands, making him cringe in response.

"Hey!" Leo shouted, stepping out from around the corner. "Stop it."

All three of the kids turned to look at him in surprise, and Leo tried to muster something that would be considered a 'scary' expression.

He didn't _actually_ want to get in a fight, he just didn't think it was fair it was two against one.

"Who are you?" one asked, giving him a once over.

Leo glared at him, "Someone who doesn't like you."

The smaller boy had bent down to retrieve his hat, but one of the bullies kicked it further out of his reach.

"Hey, I said stop it!" Leo complained, crossing the rest of the space between them.

They were tall, he realized, standing in front of them. But still, they were being mean, and he hated it when people were mean.

"You want to start something?" one of the bullies asked, putting his hands on his hips and looking down at Leo, as if to prove he was taller.

Leo refused to back down, "I don't know, do you?"

He was fairly certain he'd lose in a straight up fight with them, but it didn't matter. It was the right thing to do.

"Ah, whatever." the boy said after a second. "We've got classes. Let's go."

They pushed their way past and Leo glared at them, annoyed there seemed to be so many mean people in the world.

Once they were out of sight, Leo returned his attention to the boy that was left, who had reclaimed his hat and was busy straightening it on his head. It hid most of his dark hair and honestly seemed a size too big for him, but Leo shrugged it off.

"T-thanks." The boy mumbled.

Leo had good hearing and almost didn't catch the word, but he just grinned and bent down to pick up some of the books that had fallen. "Sure!"

He held a book out to him, "Here."

The boy stared at him for at least ten seconds before taking the book. Leo scoped up another one and peered at the cover for a second before handing it over.

"That's written in Mysidian." he commented.

The boy stared at him again, "Yeah, how'd you know?"

"My mom reads books like that all the time." Leo replied, still smiling.

His hat slid down his face somewhat so the boy fixed it, all the while talking in that low, hesitant voice. "Is your mom a mage?"

"…Kind of." Leo said, glancing down the hall. He actually wasn't sure about that. Did all people that had magic count as mages?

He had to remember to ask Cuore about that later.

"Are you from Mysidia?" Leo asked, watching the boy continue to pick up his books. He bent down to help some more, wondering why this kid was so shy.

He nodded, and Leo flipped through the pages of one book as he continued to talk, "Who were those guys, anyway?"

"Classmates." the boy replied, sniffing. "We're here as exchange students for a few months."

"Oh." Leo muttered, not really sure what that meant.

There was an awkward pause and Leo brightened, "Hey, I'm Leo by the way."

"F-Felix."

He grinned, "Pleased to meet you!"

Felix just stared at him again.

Leo frowned, wondering why he kept getting that reaction. Maybe people in Mysidia weren't this cheerful. His sister always said he was cheerful.

Felix swallowed, "Um…t-thanks again but I-I have to go to class…"

Leo nodded and picked up the last book, "I'll walk with you."

They started down the hall and Felix kept glancing at him until Leo finally frowned and asked; "What?"

"Y-your hair is a really weird color." Felix said, pushing the rim of his hat up again.

Leo paused and ran his fingers through it, "Is it?"

"It's greenish." Felix replied dryly.

Leo shrugged, not all that concerned. Cuore said she thought his hair was a nice color. She once told him she was jealous of it.

He did wish it didn't grow so fast and need to be cut so often, however.

Felix sniffed again, "Do you…know magic? Lots of people with weird color hair know magic."

Leo shrugged again, "Sort of. I'm not really that good at it yet."

Felix went back to watching his feet, "I always cast the wrong spell."

"Wrong spell?" Leo asked, puzzled.

The boy nodded, "Y-yeah…if I want to cast fire, it always comes out as ice instead."

Leo grinned, "That's weird. What about thunder? What does that come out as?"

"I-I haven't learned that one yet." Felix explained, hugging his books to his chest.

"Oh."

They continued to walk in silence and Leo wondered why this kid was here when he said he was from Mysidia. It's not like Baron had better magic users. Another thing he'd have to ask Cuore about later.

They went down a flight of steps and Felix winced upon seeing a woman standing outside a door, watching a clock off to her left.

She frowned when he approached.

"Felix, you're late. Again."

He didn't look up at her and fixed his hat again, "I-I know….sorry."

The woman was still frowning, and Leo didn't like the idea of Felix getting in trouble for something that obviously wasn't his fault. If he hadn't been delayed by the troublemakers, he would have made it on time no problem.

"That was my fault," Leo commented, attempting to smile, "Sorry. I ran into him in the hallway and it just took us longer to get here."

His mom always said lies were bad, but that one was _partially_ true.

Felix just stared at him while the woman sighed. Her expression softened somewhat and she guided Felix inside with a hand on his back, "Alright, in you go."

Leo waved to him as he disappeared, and was surprised when the woman came back out and paused, studying him before speaking.

"I don't suppose there were two others present when you and Felix were delayed, were there?" she asked, voice even.

Leo averted his gaze and she sighed again, shaking her head, "I suspected as much."

He glanced up at her, "Felix isn't in trouble, is he? I don't think it was his fault."

The woman smiled then, and she didn't seem so harsh when she did. "You're a good friend…what's your name?"

"I'm Leo."

She continued to smile, "Pleased to meet you, Leo. I'm Jasmine. I'm the teacher's aide for this class."

Jasmine continued after a moment, glancing inside, "Felix has been having trouble since he arrived here…I don't really know what's going on. He never says much."

Leo wasn't sure why she was bothering to tell him all this. He hadn't even asked. He just wanted to make sure his new friend wasn't going to get into trouble.

Jasmine sighed and shook her head, smiling at him again, "Never mind. Thank you, Leo."

She disappeared inside and closed the door, leaving Leo to pause outside for a moment before shrugging and trying to backtrack. It was well into the afternoon and he needed to make his way back to the airship hanger.

* * *

Cuore listened to the hum of the engines for a moment and frowned, shaking her head.

"_Still a variance._" she thought.

As she pushed herself off her knees, she heard a snort.

"_How can you possibly tell just by listening_?" Cagnazzo asked, sounding dubious.

Cuore grinned as she leaned over a guard railing to pull a lever down, though the conversation continued inside her head.

"_Why do you even bother asking?_" Barbariccia snapped, "_She's _Cuore_, she knows _everything."

Cuore frowned as the turbines and gears slowly creaked to a halt, "_Was that a compliment or an insult, Barb? I can't tell_…"

"_A little of both_." the wind fiend replied.

The teal haired teen rolled her eyes, still watching the mechanisms before her.

"_In response to Cag's question_," she said, "_I can hear the variance in the way the gears and turbines sound. There's a slight…waver, almost, that tells me there's a misalignment_."

She sighed and rested her elbows against the railing, "_But I have no idea how to fix it_."

"_You'll think of sssomething_." Scarmiglione said.

Cuore grinned again, "_Who knew you were the optimist of the group, Scarggy_."

She sighed and glanced at her blueprints, thinking that she needed a break but that if she left this task unfinished, it would bother her the rest of the day. Her mind wandered to more pleasant things, like how she was still able to communicate with her Eidolon even through the veil of magic that connected their two realms.

She'd had no way of knowing if her telepathy would reach that far and still be able to connect to them. However, she was pleasantly surprised when it did.

The connection wasn't as clear as it had been when they were trapped within their crystal prisons, held so close to her as they traveled back then. But it was enough that she could speak with them, a practice she made sure to do often.

They were constants in her life and her friends, and even though had plenty in the human world as well, there was no denying that she felt more at ease with the magical beings then her other friends.

They were family to her, and she would treasure that bond forever.

Cuore flipped through her notebook, examining the blueprints inside and hoping for inspiration. So far, it yielded nothing.

"_So_," she asked magically, "_has everything been alright in the Feymarch_?"

It was Rubicante who answered, though he sounded slightly annoyed, "_Nothing serious_."

She chuckled, "_There's a story here, Rubi, do tell_."

"_I'd rather not_."

"_I'd like to hear it_."

There was a pause and she frowned at the wall, "_Come on, please_?"

"_He's sulking_." Anima informed her, giggling.

"_I'm not sulking_." Rubicante retorted, "_I'd just prefer not to repeat this story. Cuore doesn't need to worry about our problems. She has her own_."

Cuore scowled, "_I have problems? That was rude_…"

"_He means Kain's apprentice,_" Barbariccia informed her. "_We've decided we don't like him_."

Cuore rolled her eyes, "_You decided? What, did you have a meeting about it or something_?"

There was a long, telling pause.

Cuore heaved a sigh, "_I'm going to ignore that_."

"_He's just…depressing_." Midgardsormr said, "_I don't like depressing people. They need to cheer up!_"

"_And mean_," Anima added.

Cuore shook her head, "_Well, you're out of luck because we're trying to be friends. Emphasis on the word 'trying'. Besides, don't think I didn't notice you sidetracking the conversation there. Rubi still owes me a story_."

There were chuckles and it was Phoenix, who always surprised them by popping into their conversations with a slightly sarcastic twist, who told the story for him.

"_Well, he got in an argument with Shiva, who then talked Siren into talking to Barbariccia about it who then got mad and also got in a fight with Shiva and somewhere along the line Ifrit got involved_."

Cuore laughed, "_You guys! Seriously? A fight over what_?"

Rubicante sighed, "_The origins of magic. She always thinks she's right about everything_."

"_Because you never think that about yourself, do you_?" Cuore teased, leaning back against some piping along the wall.

He said nothing, but Phoenix chuckled, "_Things are never dull here. It's good to be back_."

There were footsteps echoing around the cabin above her and Cuore glanced up, wondering who it could be. Ursula was still out and about with Ceodore, though the princess had mentioned that she desired to spend time with Cuore. Cid was still avoiding her and Luca had left days ago for her stay over in the Underworld.

"Sissy!"

She smiled, standing and hurrying to the doorway leading out of the engine room to call, "I'm in here, Leo."

It took a few moments before her brother appeared, but his expression was thrilled and she couldn't help but smile.

"Guess what!" Leo said happily, skipping into the engine room towards her.

Cuore continued to smile, "What?"

"I made a friend today. He's name is Felix. He's here from Mysidia for something…" Leo trailed off thoughtfully and then took a deep breath, "Exchange student, I think? What does that mean?"

Cuore nodded, "Oh, yes, Ceodore was telling me about that."

Leo, clearly interested in what she had to say, plopped down beside her and she grinned, recounting the story she'd heard not that long ago herself.

"It seems that magic users from Mysidia are trading places with magic users from here in Baron. Hence, the term, exchange student. Apparently every level of mage is able to do this program."

Leo made a face, "Why?"

"Why do they trade places?" Cuore clarified. "To learn new things. They get to visit somewhere else and learn magic how someone else teaches it. Sometimes that's helpful."

Her brother nodded, "Oh, okay."

"So, this friend of yours, Felix, right? He's an exchange student?" she asked, propping her chin on her hand.

Leo nodded, "Yeah! He's a black mage, but he says he always casts the wrong spell."

"Wrong spell?" Cuore repeated, puzzled.

Leo shrugged, "He said whenever he wants to do fire, it comes out as ice, instead."

She chuckled lowly, thinking that was the first time she'd heard of a mage who made that sort of mistake.

Leo looked back to her, another thoughtful expression on his face, "Hey sissy?"

"Yes, little brother?"

"How come Mysidia and Baron trade people? Why not anywhere else?" he asked.

Cuore paused and then held up her hands, "I'd guess it's because they both teach white and black magic. Not a lot of places do that, you know."

"_And it's sort of an apology_," she added to herself.

"_No doubt_." Cagnazzo agreed.

Scarmiglione laughed slightly, "_Not a bad idea, actually_."

She silently agreed, having no time to speak with them at the moment over the exchange program that had been put in place.

Not when her brother demanded all of her attention. He was good at that when he smiled at her sweetly.

"Sissy? Are you going to be down here much longer?" he asked, looking around the room.

Cuore hesitated, "I have quite a bit more work to do…"

"Oh…"

He sounded disappointed and she relented with a gentle sigh. Cuore reached out to ruffle his hair, "Tell you what. I'll finish up this secondary coupler drive and then we'll get some dinner. How does that sound?"

"Perfect!" he exclaimed, grinning at her. "Can I help?"

Cuore stood, chuckling and mentioning, "I thought you didn't like airships,"

"Nah, they're okay. I just don't get what the big deal is. But, dad really wants one so I guess they must be cool." Leo said with a shrug.

Cuore snorted, "He sure does…"

She pointed to a set of tools off to the side, "Hand me the cone shaped device, would you?"

* * *

The infirmary always smelled like a strange combination of synthetic metal and mint. Kieran could never figure out what made these smells, but he'd come to the conclusion it was probably better that he didn't know.

At least the rooms designated as the hospital inside the castle were spacious and somewhat comfortable.

The main room was designed openly, with rows upon rows of beds and a few tables tucked in the corners. Some of the smaller, offshoot rooms were either for storage or for private rooms. The very back of the infirmary had a few tables set up and a wall of shelves that held nothing but supplies.

They varied in shape, size, color and contents, but they were all neatly stacked like some sort of display. He found himself staring at it, wondering what would naturally color a potion to be a slimly green color.

Again, maybe it was better if he didn't know.

Kieran hissed in pain as the woman in front of him prodded at a peck wound on the back of his hand.

"Oh, does that hurt?" she asked, fixing him with a look. "I'm not surprised. It looks infected."

He shrugged one shoulder, "That would be why I'm here, Viola."

The woman, Viola, sighed and shook her head lightly, strands of graying brown hair swaying around her face. The rest was tied back in an elaborate braid that reached the small of her back.

"It looks like a peck mark," she said, holding his hand up and squinting at it.

He nodded, "It is."

Viola pursed her lips at him, "Funny, because I thought that scuffle with the Helldivers was _two days ago_, Kieran."

Kieran didn't like where this conversation was headed and he averted his gaze, "Well, it was…"

Viola looked like she was waiting to hear a suitable explanation, but they were interrupted by a set of high pitched giggles from across the room.

"I heard the Helldivers only attacked _you_,"

Kieran turned in his seat to glare at the three white mage trainees. They were notoriously obnoxious and overly girly and he was not in a mood to deal with them today.

"And I heard you three have detention again for talking during class. I guess gossip travels fast around here." he retorted.

Their leader, the blonde one, pouted while her two friends, or rather flunkies, glared at him.

Viola broke the little argument up; "Gardenia, Dahlia and Magnolia, you still have a crate full of potions to label for me before you can go home. Get to it."

She turned to Kieran, "And you self-treated again, didn't you?"

He sighed and sunk back in his chair while she stood and went over to the nearby wall covered in bottles and boxes containing medicine.

"Well I do have a stash of supplies," he muttered.

She continued to scan the shelves, "Are these the supplies I gave you after the whole Zeromus thing?"

"Yes."

"Those are likely expired by now." Viola commented over her shoulder, catching his eye.

Kieran grinned sheepishly at her, "Which would explain why they didn't work so well."

Viola was not amused and she sighed, making her way back over to sit, setting a few items on the table between them.

"Kieran," she started, voice low, "You have to come and see me whenever you get injured."

He frowned and crossed his arms, "I'm not going to bug you every time-"

Viola surprised him when she reached out to lay a hand on his arm, eyes imploring, "But I _want_ you too. You seem to forget that one good, serious injury or infection and you could _die_."

Kieran sighed and looked away but she continued, voice growing more agitated as she went as if trying to convince him of a fact he already knew.

"Your immune system is weakened, your body's response time for healing is slow, we know this. Why would you take the risk?"

He still avoided looking at her but he replied all the same, wishing she didn't fret so much. "It's been years, Viola. I'm _fine_."

The woman stared at him until he glanced at her and flinched, not liking the look on her face. It wasn't as if he didn't know his own medical stats. But he hated that she reminded him of them every time he saw her.

She worried too much. But that's what white mages did, wasn't it?

Viola sighed again and dropped her hand and her gaze to the tabletop, "You don't walk away from a Flare spell without side-effects…most people don't walk away at all."

"Well, it didn't hit me head-on, now did it?" he snapped, uncomfortable with the topic.

Viola's expression turned dismayed and he instantly regretted snapping at her. She was one of the few people that could fuss over him that he could actually stand for more than a few seconds. The woman was really quite sweet, but contained just enough sarcasm in her to make her bearable.

Kieran sighed, "Sorry."

Viola glanced at him in surprise, "It's rare you apologize,"

"I'm feeling generous." he remarked with another shrug.

She held out her hand, "Give me your hand."

Kieran hesitated and she gestured impatiently until he complied, letting her pull his arm out straight so she could take another look at the wound.

She examined the area once more and then opened a bottle of some sort of orange tonic. Kieran no longer asked what was in those things. Working this black market case had given him too much knowledge and he was happier not knowing.

She poured a decent amount of the strangely colored liquid onto the back of his hand and the reaction was instant.

"Damn," he hissed, sparing her a quick glare as the fluid bubbled and burned.

Viola smiled slowly, "You can feel that?"

Kieran stared at her, dumbfounded by the question.

She explained as she wiped the excess fluid away and began wrapping the wound in bandages. "I only smile because we had talked about loss of feeling in the nerve endings in your hand and arm. I'm glad to see that's not the case."

"I told you I was fine," he said, trying not to sound indignant.

Viola chuckled, standing once more to replace the goods she hadn't used in his treatment. "If I had a Gil for every time I'd heard a patient use those words, I'd be a very rich woman."

Kieran flexed his hand a couple of times, commenting, "And if I had a Gil for every person named after a flower in this kingdom, I'd be rich too."

She shook her head, though she didn't appear the least bit offended, "Baron does love its flower names."

"But I know of three people named Lily alone!" he complained, gesturing back to the white mage girls, "And, everyone else, you know."

"You know," she teased, turning back to look at him and putting her hands on her hips, "there's a type of flower called an aster."

"Aster," he corrected, "not Astor."

"They sound the same,"

"But they aren't _spelt_ the same."

Viola laughed once more and set her hand on his shoulder, "You're impossible, Kieran. Are you injured anywhere else?"

"I self-treated, remember?" he countered, glancing up at her.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of the door to the infirmary opening and the subsequent hush of the normally giggly white mages.

The difference in the air was so evident that Kieran twisted in his seat to peer across the room and see just what had stalled their conversation.

They were all staring with resentment towards the door and Cuore, new to the scene, paused at their looks before she merely raised an eyebrow in confusion. Obviously deciding it wasn't worth the brainpower to figure it out, she merely slid into the room, keeping her distance and looking around.

Her eyes fell on Viola first, as the woman was still standing, and then on Kieran, who forced himself to nod in greeting.

He did not need their barely mended friendship dissolving so soon, no matter how much he wished they weren't meeting in the infirmary of all places.

Cuore smiled hesitantly, first at him and then shifting her attention to the white mage next to him. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but my brother says he isn't feeling well, and I was hoping…you might have something I could give him?"

Viola smiled and nodded, slipping her hand off of Kieran's shoulder and focusing solely on the teal haired teen. "Certainly. What are his symptoms?"

"He says his stomach is upset." Cuore replied, gesturing with one hand, "He rarely feigns illness, so I'm inclined to believe he is actually feeling sick."

Viola nodded and moved to walked over to the wall of potions once more, speaking as she did, "And how old is he?"

Cuore brushed a strand of hair off her face, "Almost seven."

She glanced at Kieran with a puzzled expression, "Are you damaged?"

Her question, or possibly the way she phrased it, made the trio of mage girls giggle. Kieran just shook his head and inconspicuously slipped his glove back over his hand.

"I'm fine." he said, shrugging.

Cuore didn't look completely convinced, and Viola glanced over her shoulder, grinning, "Well _now_ you are."

Kieran frowned at her, and it only deepened when he saw the woman reaching for a step stool.

"Viola," he chided, standing, "How many times have I offered to get you things?"

In reality, she was short, and the top four shelves and all their contents were well out of her reach. She smiled at him as he approached, commenting, "But your also not here very often, so what would I do when you weren't?"

He ignored her, "What do you need?"

"The small bottle with the purple coloring."

Kieran hardly had to reach at all to snag the bottle she pointed too, and he handed it over to her which earned him another one of her happy smiles. Viola was easy to please, and she tended to be one of only a few people who showered Kieran with approval. Mostly, though, he felt like she tried too hard, praising him for things that weren't noteworthy.

She turned back to Cuore and explained, "This should settle his stomach. Give him a couple of tablespoons. It's an herbal remedy so it should be gentle enough to use on someone his age."

Cuore smiled, "Thank you."

Viola nodded and slid a book towards her, across the table, "Would you mind signing that you're taking it? I've started to keep record of everything leaving and when…we've had thefts recently."

Kieran looked at her sharply, wondering why she felt justified to blurt out confidential information to a stranger.

Cuore, however, didn't blink and merely nodded, signing her name in the data book while Viola watched.

The white mage smiled, "Oh, so you're Cuore."

Kieran rolled his eyes at her; obviously she'd already known who the young woman was, but she was trying to start a conversation.

Cuore smiled hesitantly, "Yes,"

"I've heard a lot about you," Viola remarked, still smiling.

At that, Cuore smirked in a familiar way, "Most of it bad, I would assume."

"Not all." she answered, glancing at Kieran, who warned her with a look to tread lightly. Things were still hazardous between them, and this was their first normal meeting beyond passing each other on a few occasions in the hallways since they'd made a promise to _try_.

But Viola just grinned at him, and he winced, knowing what that would mean.

"Kieran tells me you're here to work on airships." she began.

Cuore nodded, "Cid and Luca invited me."

"Interesting!" Viola said, not sounding the least bit interested at all. "Kieran also says your dangerous when cornered."

Kieran sighed heavily, "Viola…"

Cuore grinned and waved a hand, "Its fine." She shrugged, "He probably only thinks that because of our last…contest. I may have ruined his weapon in retaliation."

She flashed him an apologetic smile, "That wasn't very…honorable of me, was it? I am sorry about that."

Viola seemed pleased with her response and smiled, closing the book with a thump and mentioning, "Kieran didn't, however, mention how pretty you are."

He glared at her, though she just beamed at him as if she was doing him some great favor.

Cuore's expression was somewhat amused but mostly puzzled and she glanced between the two of them before smiling tentatively, "Thank you…I…suppose…"

Kieran continued to scowl in disapproval at the white mage but was diverted when Cuore chuckled suddenly and commented flippantly; "I'm surprised he didn't mention that, though. Apparently he thinks I'm beautiful. He told me so."

Viola turned to look at him, "Really now?"

Kieran wasn't sure how to defend himself against that particular fact since it was true, but he also hadn't been expecting Cuore to remember or bring that up again.

She giggled at the awkward pause and Viola smiled at him, which made him sigh again.

"Viola," he warned, hoping she wouldn't make this worse.

Luckily Cuore turned halfway around and held up her potion, "Thank you for this, I should get back to Leo."

Viola waved to her, "Anytime!"

Kieran made a disgusted face at her for the tone of voice she used, as if she and Cuore were suddenly the best of friends.

She glanced at him, "What?"

He rolled his eyes at her and she grinned, "So, you think she's pretty?"

"_Viola_,"

"Well?"

"I'm not talking about this with you." he complained, frustrated.

Viola's smile melted to a critical frown as she crossed her arms, "So you don't think she's pretty?"

He opened his mouth to reply, thought better of it and snapped it closed instead. His reaction only seemed to amuse her more and she shook her head at him.

Of course he thought Cuore was attractive. He'd have to be blind not too.

Surely he wasn't the only one that noticed it, either. After all, her features were rather exotic, and not just because of her vivid hair and eyes. She was slender, but not stick-thin, either. She'd have to have some muscle on her to fight the way she did.

Her features were angular in some places and contrastingly delicate in others. Then there was the way she moved, which was indicative and telling of both sides of her family.

But that didn't really mean anything more than a passing thought. The last thing he wanted to do was add more misunderstandings and discomfort into the mix where he and Cuore were concerned.

Viola shrugged, "I think she's pretty. And very nice."

"It's not hard to impress you," Kieran remarked, glancing sideways at her, "I mean, you like me, so…"

She smacked him lightly in the shoulder.

Their conversation was interrupted by a high pitched whine from across the room.

"Viola," one of the mage girls said, pouting, "We've done like, three cases of potions and labeled them all. Can we go?"

"Yeah," another one said, sounding pathetic, "We have, like, three chapters to read in our theory books, too."

Kieran would have told them to do another three cases, but Viola was far kinder.

She sighed, "Very well. Go back to your rooms and study. I expect you to be better behaved tomorrow in my morning class."

They mumbled something and practically bolted for the doors, giggling as they shut it behind them.

Kieran frowned and narrowed his eyes, suddenly suspicious.

Viola spoke up again, though his attention was still diverted and he ended up glancing at her after a moment, "I'm sorry, what?"

She frowned lightly, "I was saying I'd like you to come see me tomorrow. I'm still worried over your wound and the possibility of infection."

He nodded briskly and slid around the table to head for the door, mind elsewhere, "Sure,"

Viola's frown deepened as she gazed at him, looking confused, "You never agree that quickly too-"

"I'll see you tomorrow!" he called over his shoulder, dodging the beds and other tables in the infirmary and shutting the door behind him.

* * *

Cuore was slightly concerned over her brother's illness, but she also knew it wasn't anything serious. Chances were it was a reaction to something he ate, or a lack of sleep. They were both finding it hard to adjust to the noisy location.

There was no way after having a great day of adventure and making a new friend that he would let this little trifle keep him down.

Cuore sighed softly and glanced to the side, watching through the windows as snow spiraled past the glass and frost clung to its surface.

She was fascinated by the changing of seasons on this planet and always had been. She of course understood the process, but it was amazing to watch every year as the world changed right before her eyes, slowly but surely.

There were footsteps behind her, three sets, and the swish of robes along with a couple of giggles.

Cuore frowned, knowing who it was without bothering to turn around. She'd seen them in the infirmary, of course, but didn't bother to even acknowledge their presence. They were the trio of troublesome mages that occasionally glared at her or, on rare days, said something rude.

She chose to ignore them, though they obviously had other ideas.

"I'm never going on an airship again," one prattled just loud enough where she could hear.

"How come Magnolia?" another asked.

The first girl, apparently named Magnolia, replied readily, "Well, we have the _witch_ working on them. Who knows what she might do."

Cuore rolled her eyes, wondering if anyone was creative enough to come up with an insult she hadn't heard yet.

She considered commenting with something scathing in reply, but chose to merely ignore them, knowing that they would likely get bored and leave after a time.

Before they could continue to bother her or leave, she heard another set of footsteps coming from behind her, though the pacing and sound were different. The sound made her pause and glance over her shoulder, where she spied Kieran making his way towards her.

Rather than move _around_ the group of white mages, he slid through their midst which them huff in their high pitched voices.

"Hey," he said, lightly grasping Cuore's elbow and continuing to walk. It made her follow him, turning slightly away from the mages as he fell into step beside her. The entire motion was fluid; almost so much so that she couldn't decide if he had pulled her away from the three girls on purpose or not.

"You never told me how that manifold worked out," Kieran commented, slipping his hand off her arm.

Cuore pushed away her confusion over his actions and grinned, "It worked well. I did have to adjust the flow capacity, but everything is aligned now."

"And the rest of the systems?" he asked.

She shrugged, "Some work perfectly others are a complete mess. I'm working on the…" she trailed off upon realizing his attention was diverted.

They had moved quite a few steps ahead of the girls at this point, and Kieran had glanced back to check on them. They were whispering among themselves.

Cuore blinked at him and sighed, "You didn't have to do that,"

"Do what?" he asked, looking back to her.

She frowned at him significantly, but she also noted the truly confused look he was giving her.

"Catch up with me, walk with me," she elaborated, gesturing with her hands, potion still clutched in one.

Kieran took a moment to reply, and gave a halfhearted shrug, "I wasn't sure leaving you alone with the flower power girls was a good idea."

"Flower power girls?" Cuore asked, raising an eyebrow.

He grinned, "Those three. They, along with eighty percent of Baron, have flower names, and they always hang around with each other."

She glanced back at the three girls behind them, who were still talking amongst themselves, and then back to him, less than impressed. "So you gave them a nickname,"

"Actually, Ceodore came up with that one." he replied.

Cuore said nothing at first, not sure if she should be annoyed he thought she needed an escort or flattered he seemed worried about her.

And _why_ would he be worried?

It wasn't like this was her first trip to Baron where someone had said something rather hurtful to her face or behind her back.

She decided to change the subject.

"That woman, back there, I didn't get her name."

Kieran nodded, "Viola."

Cuore glanced at him, frowning slightly, "And…you were injured?"

He hesitated, and she looked back out the windows as they passed, uncomfortable. "Sorry,"

Kieran groaned and shot her a quick glare, which made Cuore wince and smile apologetically. She had agreed to try and not apologize so much, but it was a hard habit to break, apparently.

"Cuore!"

She turned at the sound of a familiar voice and smiled in way of greeting as Ursula dashed down a staircase to meet up with her.

Cuore watched, fascinated, as the three white mages perked up at her appearance and their sullen demeanor changed to elation, instead.

"_Intriguing_."

"_Kiss ups_," Cagnazzo said, gagging.

Cuore tipped her head to one side, "_Kiss ups_?"

It was Barbariccia who explained in her usual merciless manner; "_Yes, Cuore, kiss ups. Those three ladies aren't stupid. Ursula is an important person in an important position, and they obviously know that. It pays to have friends in high places, you know._"

Cuore considered this for a moment, frowning, "_So…they don't really like her at all, do they_?"

"_I would sincerely doubt it_." The wind fiend commented, giving a short, sharp laugh.

The scene before her seemed to tell the story perfectly, but Cuore found that these sorts of games were tiring and confusing. She couldn't imagine spending so much time trying to station herself higher in society by playing these intricate games.

She had better things to do.

"Hi Ursula!" one of them said, overly cheerful.

Ursula didn't seem to be the least excited to see them, though she smiled nonetheless, "Hi Magnolia, Gardena and Dahlia."

Cuore made a mental note to remember their names, and which was which.

Before they could speak again she turned her attention to Cuore, "There you are! I've been looking for you."

The blonde princess hopped off the last stair as she continued, "I was wondering if you wanted to go out and have some fun tonight? You can't just work on airships all the time while you're here."

Cuore gave her friend a funny look, "Interesting, since I thought that's why I was here,"

Ursula chuckled and hurried forward, capturing Cuore's arm with both of her hands and dragging her down the hallway, away from the others. "Come on, just the two of us? It'll be fun."

Cuore felt touched at Ursula's invitation, but she only shook her head, "I would, but Leo isn't feeling well. I should check in on him."

Ursula sighed, glancing at the potion in her hands, "I suppose I can let you off this one time, but…"

Kieran interrupted with a snarky remark; "A little desperate, Ursula? Did Ceodore ditch you again?"

She scowled at him over her shoulder, glaring as he caught up to them and walked past.

"No, but I get to see him all the time. Cuore's company is a rarity." the princess explained, grinning at Cuore even as she released her arm.

"What about tomorrow night?" Cuore suggested. "I could come find you after I've finished on the airships for the day,"

Ursula smiled, "I'd like that."

Cuore nodded, pleased with this mutual decision. Her good mood dissolved a second later when one of the white mages psychically bumped into her on purpose, however. She frowned but was ignored as they pushed their way past the group to walk in front.

They began chatting and Ursula caught Cuore's eye, rolling her own in a long motion that made the teal haired teen nod in agreement.

"Oh my gosh, did you see that new black mage student from Mysidia?" the dark haired girl, Dahlia, gushed.

Gardena, the shortest, nodded, "The exchange student? He is so cute!"

They both giggled and Magnolia tossed her golden blonde hair, "He's totally a twelve,"

Her friends agreed and Cuore blinked in confusion, leaning over to whisper to Ursula, "I was under the impression that assigning numbers to human beings was considered rude,"

Kieran overheard and called from the back of their group, "It is."

Ursula smiled a little and attempted to clarify, "It's not like that…it's…" she trailed off, as if considering how best to explain. Cuore waited patiently.

"See, people use this…grading scale of one to ten to explain to others how attractive another person is." the blonde princess finished.

Cuore was even more confused, "But, she said he was a twelve. She is aware that twelve comes after ten, correct?"

Ursula choked on laughter as the girls stopped and turned to glare at Cuore, "Oh my gosh, you did not just say to that me, did you?"

Cuore blinked, "I merely wanted to make sure that I understand,"

"I'm not surprised you don't get it," Dahlia muttered, followed by Gardena nodding, "For sure."

Magnolia sighed heavily and gazed her in a haughty fashion Cuore found more laughable then insulting. These three mages seemed to think rather highly of themselves and Cuore was at a lost as too why.

By this point the six of them had stopped walking and were loitering in the hallway, though Kieran was hanging back as if he didn't want to be associated with any of it.

Cuore really couldn't blame him.

"It's like this," Magnolia began in a slow speech, "This guy is so amazing that he is above the grading scale. He's _more_ than a ten. Now do you understand?"

Cuore wrinkled her nose, confusion doubling once more, "Then the grading scale should be expanded to include such individuals!"

She was surprised no one had ever thought about that solution before. It was so simple.

The mages sighed dramatically, and Gardena whined, "You don't get it!"

Kieran groaned, "Are you done? This is a waste of brainpower."

Magnolia glared at him, flipping her braided hair again. "You would say that. Your only like, a _five_."

"I'm confused again," Cuore said, glancing between them, "I thought the grading scale was based off of attractiveness of an individual. If that is the case, then wouldn't Kieran be at least an eight?"

Ursula looked at her in surprise, but she added, "Unless I am still misunderstanding the requirements."

The mages stared flatly at her so she glanced at Kieran for an explanation, hoping he would be of more help to explain this whole situation to her.

He just looked amused, "You managed to complement me and insult me in the same sentence. Truly an accomplishment."

Cuore shook her head, "It was not my intension to do either, please disregard my statements."

"So, I should feel nothing?" Kieran commented, giving her a funny look.

She paused, considering his question.

The trio of girls all sighed in unison again and brushed their way past, heading towards a nearby staircase.

"Whatever," Dahlia said, "We've got, like, stuff to do."

"Yeah," Gardena added, first to climb the set of polished stairs and disappear from sight.

Magnolia tossed her head again, "Yeah, see you around,"

As soon as they were gone from sight, Ursula stuck her tongue out, "Ugh, those three make me want to gag. I hope I never have to be treated by them."

Cuore chuckled, thinking the exact same thing, though she was still puzzled over what had transpired just a few moments ago. Perhaps it was best to let it go.

Ursula sighed and shrugged, smiling at Cuore once more, "Hey, I'll let you get back to your brother, and I'll see you tomorrow night, alright?"

She nodded, "Yes."

Ursula ran off with a wave, as she usually did, and Cuore watched her until she disappeared from sight. It was then Cuore realized that she had somehow been sidetracked to take a rather long route to her room.

She frowned, confused as to how that happened, when Kieran reminded her he was still hanging around.

"I think my intelligence just dropped five points from being around those three." he muttered, coming to stand by her side. His eyes were on the staircase they had gone up.

Cuore grinned and imitated, "For sure."

He cringed, "Ugh, please never do that again."

She giggled and he feigned in an uncharacteristically high, girly voice, "I mean, like, oh my gosh, that mage is so totally cute!"

Cuore was actually impressed by his imitation, and she laughed again when he made a puking gesture and cringed.

"You should be nicer, you know." she chided, not really meaning it.

Kieran gave her a funny look, "To those three? Hardly."

Cuore looked around and confessed, "I'm not entirely sure where in the castle am I. I've never been this way before, nor am I certain how to reach my room from here."

Kieran took a few steps forward, "This is the residence section. I'll show you how to get to the guest wing from here."

She nodded and trailed after him, mentioning, "I'm not sure how I ended up here…I suppose I wasn't paying attention during that…interesting conversation."

He had paused at a threshold to wait for her and she caught a slightly guilty expression on his face as he admitted, "That was actually my doing. I figured I'd steer you this way so that the flower power girls would have no reason to follow you any further."

Cuore blinked at him, but he had already moved on, leaving her to catch up again. "You really don't have to do that," she complained.

"I told you I didn't think leaving you alone with them was a good idea." Kieran retorted. His voice sounded the slightest bit annoyed, so Cuore decided to drop the topic.

She fell into step next to him and remarked, "You know, it's fascinating to observe human behavior. Those three girls, the white mages, they try very hard to impress Ursula without realizing that she doesn't like them."

Kieran shrugged, "Who better to impress then the future queen? They may be empty headed, but they aren't completely stupid. It pays to have friends in high places, you know."

"Says you," Cuore countered, grinning at him, "Maybe you should take their lead."

"I'm pretty sure I'm a lost cause. The day Rosa doesn't hate me anymore will be the day I die." he replied with a shake of his head.

"You could try harder," she mentioned.

He shrugged again, "Eh,"

Cuore sighed, shaking her head though smiling. It was no secret that Rosa didn't really like Kain's apprentice, or his influence on her son. She'd heard a fair amount of stories from both Ceodore and Ursula.

Something he said made her tip her head to one side and she regarded him for a moment before speaking. "Future queen? Do you know something I don't?"

Kieran stared at her flatly, "Tell me you're joking."

"They aren't dating, remember?" she teased.

"_Right_," he said, drawing out the word, "I forgot about that."

She chuckled again. They had passed by another large window, and from it Cuore could see that the sun had sunken a little further in the sky, painting what was left a pale pink. Snowflakes were still falling lazily, but it was eerily peaceful.

Cuore felt a slight twinge of homesickness, but it didn't last long. She wouldn't be here for more than another week or so. Her and Leo would be home before the weather turned impossible and treacherous, and she could once again settle into the routine she'd come to enjoy.

A sudden thought occurred to her and she glanced at Kieran, who had reverted to being gloomy, and commented hesitantly, "You never told me where you got that manifold,"

"An old friend." he replied, looking back up at her.

Cuore nodded and then clasped her hands behind her back, "This friend of yours wouldn't happen to have any induction coils, would they?"

"I can ask," he replied, smiling slightly.

"What about…platinum?" she asked hopefully.

Kieran appeared to think about her question and then shook his head, "I doubt it, but I can ask about that, too. I thought you wanted palladium, though?"

Cuore stopped walking and stared at him.

"…To replace the copper conductors," he clarified.

She nodded, "I did…you have a very good memory. I mentioned that several months ago."

"I guess. But listen, if you want palladium, just put in an application form to request some from Silvera. It'll take a while to go through, but if it's what we need for airships, no one will deny your request."

Cuore frowned, "Ceodore said no one has palladium."

Kieran rolled his eyes, "Ceodore wouldn't know palladium as opposed to copper if it hit him in the face. No, Silvera has some, but they don't really use it for anything. There's no demand for it. So, you'd be doing them a favor by ordering some anyway."

She smiled slowly, "Thank you."

"Sure."

She started walking again at a slow pace since she was relaying of Kieran to guide her through this portion of the castle. Somewhere along the lines their conversation had become less awkward.

Cuore was grateful for the difference, and she found herself actually enjoying his company, even with the lingering worry still in the back of her mind.

They approached a staircase and it was Kieran who began a new conversation this time.

"So, more airship work tomorrow?" he asked.

She nodded, "And then apparently something with Ursula later…I'm not sure what her idea of fun is, however."

He chuckled at that and she glanced at him, "And you? What will you be doing?"

"Well," Kieran started, tone apathetic, "we have air combat training tomorrow. My least favorite."

Cuore blinked and asked cautiously, "Airsickness?"

"Yes. At least Ceodore won't be here this time. Last time he came with us I'm pretty sure we almost died. He is such a terrible pilot…" Kieran said absently, rubbing the back of his neck.

He grinned at her, "And then probably I'll have to keep said prince company in the evening since Ursula won't be around. He'll be all depressed because, you know-"

"They aren't dating." they both chorused in unison.

Cuore chuckled, "Exactly."

She glanced around, realizing that they had made it to the guest portion of the castle without her noticing. It was unlike her to be so distracted. They had entered from the opposite side that she usually did, and Cuore was glad to know where that staircase went now.

She paused outside her door and glanced at him, "Thank you."

Kieran shrugged, already turning to walk away, but she reached out and touched his arm to stop him.

"No, _thank you_." she repeated, tipping her head to one side.

Something caught her attention she frowned, staring puzzled at her door. "I don't remember leaving this ajar,"

It didn't take a very strong push for the door to creak inward with an ominous sound. Once the door was open, it revealed a shocking sight inside. Obviously someone _had_ been inside her room while she'd been away.

The normally neutral walls were painted with purplish-red stains that had dripped by this point and puddled at the floor.

Even in the evening's half-light, the vandalized messages were easy to read.

They were all insults she'd heard aloud, after all.

Witch girl, monster tamer, enchantress, lunar harlot, _Maenad_.

Cuore supposed she should feel more horrified by the sight, but the sad thing was, she was used to it by now.

"_I'll always be a Maenad, and there's nothing I can do to change that_."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Now we're getting into a little more of the plot...

You have no idea how many things I researched for this fic...example for this chapter: engines. Both those of cars and planes, since...the tech level of this world is...not explained very well. You know me, trying to make my stories realistic.

I don't know why I think Baron would be obsessed with flower names, I just always have. Also, I got a kick out of, a few weeks back, buying plants including a 'viola' and some 'asters'. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who would laugh about something like that...

I was telling Mythweaver when I was writing this chapter that I was being mean to Kieran with a lot of awkward situations for him. She replied that he deserved. I asked why he deserved it. She replied with the following: "Because he was a dick."

And there you have it.

Also, be warned fandom; Mythweaver and I will be hanging out in real life come a month from now. Thus, there will be epic stories brainstormed and, sadly, the universe will explode. Just thought I would let you all know in advance so you can plan your final days.


	3. Interference

**I swear I didn't plan on this one being so long, either! **

**I had also hoped to have it uploaded a few days ago, so sorry everyone it's a little 'late'.**

* * *

Despite trying to remain focused on the conversation happening in front of him, Kieran's attention kept drifting. He was distracted by the state of Cuore's room mere feet away and continued to sneak glances into it curiously.

After the discovery of the vandalism they had gone to report the incident only to be drug back to the scene of the crime.

For the most part, Kieran was surprised Cuore didn't seem more disturbed by the event.

"I haven't been back all day," she explained to Kain, "It could have happened at any time. It's not like I locked the door when leaving."

There was a hint of sarcasm in her tone, but it was dry and she frowned, as if more annoyed by the questions then the incident.

Kieran glanced inside once more, taking a moment to scan the walls painted in offensive terms, and watched as the few other guards wandered around the tiny room in search of clues.

Kieran inwardly scoffed at that idea, not sure what they thought they would find that would be of any help.

He was distracted by Kain commenting, "Not that this is a helpful question, considering, but any ideas as to who could have done this?"

Cuore stared at him, annoyed.

"I said it wouldn't be helpful question, but it has to be asked." he replied to her look, shrugging.

She sighed and crossed her arms, "Many people desire to make their…dislike of me known. This is not surprising. Very few would openly do it to my face. Your suspect list, I assume, would be long." she said.

Kain frowned, "It would have to be someone who knew you were here and who has access to this room."

"That hardly narrows it down," she muttered, rolling her eyes.

"It won't be easy to find who did this, I'll admit that." Kain agreed.

Cuore tilted her head to one side, regarding him curiously, "Does it matter?"

Kieran gave her a funny look, as did Kain, and she continued after a moment, "This person obviously doesn't like me. Much of the world feels the same. They didn't take anything from the room, they didn't hurt me. I hardly see what point there is to pursue this."

She snorted, "The damaged to your walls is more of a crime against Rosa then me, and that's the only crime I see currently."

Kieran stared at her, "Are you serious? Cuore, they were obviously trying to tell you something,"

"Yes, I can see that." Cuore informed him dryly. She turned and gestured to the words written on the walls, "They want me to know something that is already clear. Yes, I am a Maenad. There isn't much I can do to change that."

Kieran sighed, not sure how to explain to her why this was a big deal, but Kain spoke up instead.

"This is a warning, Cuore, clearly. The problem is, we don't know who it's from. It may not be much now, but there is nothing to say that whoever did this isn't planning something else."

Cuore glanced back to them, "Not to sound arrogant, but…let them try."

Kieran slapped a hand to his forehead, exasperated. Kain frowned again.

She merely continued to stare at them, obviously not concerned.

"Cuore," Kain started, surprisingly patient, "there is a very real danger here. This could easily escalate to another warning or even violence. We have to take precautions while you're here."

Cuore sighed, but turned back around to full speak with them, "What did you have in mind?"

"Firstly, we need to move you to a different room, in a different part of the castle. Make it harder for whoever did this to find you again." he explained.

She nodded, apparently agreeing to that idea.

"Also, I'd like to have someone with you at all times to-"

Cuore held up a hand, "I'm going to stop you right there because I am not agreeing to that."

Kain sighed heavily, though hardly seemed surprised by her reaction.

"I don't need someone to babysit me," she complained, "and what good would that do anyway? And who among your people is going to want that boring job? No, I can take care of myself."

Kain shook his head, "Sometimes I hate dealing with you people."

Cuore flashed a smile, the first she'd let slip since the vandalism was discovered.

The guards had apparently finished their inspection with her room and wandered out and past them, walking down the hallway.

Cuore watched them go and then spoke up quietly, "I will take you up on the offer to have someone watch Leo, however. It will be impossible to keep him with me at all times, and if I'm not with him, he could be in danger. I want to know he's safe."

"Agreed." Kain said, "Assuming he doesn't argue with me too,"

Cuore laughed, "He might, but he'll listen to me, so let me tell him."

She looked inside the room, smile fading from her lips, and Kieran glanced at his mentor, feeling like they should do or say something more to her.

What had happened was disconcerting and eerie. That something like this could happen inside the castle was unnerving. Then again, as Cuore said, it was no secret people weren't fond of her.

"Speaking of my brother," Cuore said, turning back around, "I need to check on him and let him know what's happening."

Kain nodded, "I need to straighten everything out and find you another place to stay."

She nodded and wandered across the hall, gently opening her brother's door and slipping inside and apparently deeming the conversation over.

Kieran frowned, "Well, this is bad."

"Pretty much." Kain agreed, frowning at the room. "And Cuore is right about Rosa being mad about the walls…"

Kieran hesitated and dropped his voice, "Is that…real monster blood?"

"Yes."

He grimaced, "How did someone get that inside the castle without anyone knowing?"

His mentor shook his head, "I have no idea. This is not going to be easy to deal with…" He trailed off into a sigh and then glanced at Kieran, "Can you stay here for a few minutes? I need to set up another room for Cuore to stay in and leaving her alone at the moment seems foolish, no matter what she says."

Kieran shrugged, "She's Cuore, what did you expect?"

"More common sense," Kain retorted.

His apprentice grinned, "And less Rydia and Edge in her?"

"Something like that." Kain muttered, already walking away. "I'll be back shortly. Don't get into trouble while I'm gone."

"I'll try," Kieran replied.

Once the hallways were empty and silent, he glanced into Cuore's former room again, leaning against the doorframe to survey everything.

Only the walls were tainted, and the floor from where the messages had bled into puddles. The furniture was all untouched and orderly, while even Cuore's personal belongings hadn't been moved.

But he supposed the words were enough.

"I thought I told Kain I didn't need a babysitter,"

Kieran jumped, startled, and glared over his shoulder at Cuore, "Don't do that,"

"What?" she asked, confused.

"Sneak up on people," he replied.

Cuore frowned at the comment but just returned to the other portion of their conversation, "I really don't need you to guard me."

"Kain seems to think otherwise," he countered, mentioning afterwards, "Though, I'm unarmed, so I'm not sure what good I'll be anyway."

Cuore snorted and brushed past him to enter her room, "Maybe Kain thinks you'll scare people away with your bad attitude."

She paused a few steps from him and muttered, "Sorry, that was rude."

Kieran shrugged, but then realized she couldn't see him, and spoke once more, "It's fine. You're probably right, actually."

Cuore sighed as she gazed at the insults, "I wonder…where people come up with these terms. I'm especially confused by the 'lunar harlot' one…"

Kieran opened his mouth to say something, although he wasn't sure what would be appropriate. Something comforting, most likely, but he wasn't much good at that.

Leo interrupted anyway.

"Sissy?" he said from his doorway, voice laced with sleep.

Cuore's features softened and she brushed past Kieran again to kneel in front of her little brother, brushing feathery bangs out of his face.

"Leo, I told you to stay in bed."

He stared at her with wide eyes, "I can't sleep."

Cuore gave him a lopsided smile, "Unlikely."

Kieran watched the two siblings interact with one another, trying to decide why it bothered him so much.

The emotions he was feeling were confusing and he tried to sort through them for a few moments as Leo sleepily talked with his sister. She continued to keep him occupied and away from her room.

"_Why am I envious_?" he thought, frowning. "_That's a strange thing to feel_…"

But then it hit him; he was jealous that Cuore still had her younger sibling to even speak with. He was resentful when watching the scene that her family was intact. He was dispirited over the fate of his family and felt a familiar sense of loss coming to the surface after years of being repressed.

Kieran chose to look away, feeling guilty and troubled.

He was eventually rescued from the uncomfortable situation and his depressing thoughts when Kain returned and led Cuore and her brother off, most likely to her new room.

As she passed by, the teal haired teen murmured, "Thank you."

Kieran merely nodded, not sure he'd done anything lately that required her thanks at all.

* * *

"Suspended?" Kieran repeated, stunned.

That hadn't been how he expected to start his day. He should have known Kain calling him into his _office_ was a bad omen.

"What for?" he demanded.

It wasn't as if his record wasn't full of demerits or colorful notes, but he needed to know what offense finally caused serious action to be taken.

Kain avoided the question, "It's only until we figure out who vandalized Cuore's room."

Kieran made a face, confused and still annoyed, "What…does that have to do with me?"

A moment later he answered his own question.

"Wait, you think _I_ had something to do with it?" he said, no longer annoyed.

No, now he was mad.

Kain sighed, "Kieran…"

"That's ridiculous!" Kieran snapped, "Not to mention unfair! I didn't do anything wrong for once and I'm _suspended_?!"

His mentor interrupted his rant, "You aren't the only one on forced leave while this investigation is open,"

"_Really_?" he said, voice dripping in sarcasm, "Who else is _forced to take leave_ time while this happens? Enlighten me."

Kain was unimpressed with his attitude evidently, and frowned at him. His voice remained annoyingly even. "Quite a few people, actually. Everyone who has reasons to hate the Maenads with prior access to Cuore's location in the castle is _suspended_ until the investigation is closed."

"Which will be when, exactly? You're never going to catch this person," Kieran complained, crossing his arms.

"Oh?"

"Don't say "_oh_" like I'm admitting something," Kieran retorted, glaring at his mentor, "What, do you think I did do it? If I have a problem with Cuore, I'd tell her to her face. It's not like I haven't before!"

Kain sighed, "Kieran, calm down,"

"Why should I?!" he yelled, dropping his arms to his side, "You _know_ what this suspension will cost me,"

At that, Kain averted his gaze and Kieran glared at him again, "If I'm suspended for more than a few days I won't have logged enough field time to take that _stupid_ test to actually finish my training. I'll have to wait _another_ year. I'm already behind!"

He clenched his fists, "It isn't fair,"

"It might not be fair, but it's what we have to do." Kain explained. "Everyone, including Cuore, seems to forget she_ is_ a princess of another country. While everyone is friends with everyone, we still have to go about this the right way. This is a threat made to her, foreign royalty, on our soil. It's serious."

Kieran rolled his eyes, "And because I, what, have been mean to her in the past I'm on this list?"

His mentor ignored the question, "The investigation is open for as long as it needs to be. I hope it will be finished quickly."

"So, I'm suspended indefinitely, then?" Kieran said sharply, voice low and deceptively even. "Should I just quit right here and now while I'm still young since this case will never be solved?"

"Stop being so dramatic," Kain said, glaring at him.

"And you stop acting like this isn't a big deal!"

Kain finally held his hands up, apparently fed-up with the conversation's hostility. "I don't understand why you're angry with me!"

"Because your acting like I did something wrong!" Kieran shot back, "Do you think I did this?"

"No, of course not,"

"Then why-"

Kain cut him off, "Why do the rules apply to you?"

Kieran snapped his mouth shut and silently fumed. Truthfully, he knew it wasn't a personal attack against him, but it certainly felt like one. He did believe his mentor didn't honestly think he did anything wrong, but Kieran still felt slightly betrayed all the same.

There was an uncomfortable pause and finally Kain sighed and sat back in his chair, "I knew you wouldn't take this news well, but there is nothing I can do. This is serious, and we have to treat it as such. I hope that nothing more will come of the incident, and I hope to close the case when either the culprit is caught or Cuore's safe and sound back home."

Kieran glared off the side, picking a spot on the wall to stare at while he listened.

"You should stay away from her while she's here. I'm purposely not telling you where her new room is."

He snorted, "Irony."

"What?" Kain asked, leaning forward and squinting at him.

Kieran shifted his weight to his other leg but continued to glare at the wall, "First I was in trouble for not getting along with her. Now I'm being told to stay away. Funny."

"…Make the most of this time off, Kieran." Kain said, acting like he hadn't heard that last comment.

"Can I go?" Kieran muttered, glaring at him.

His mentor sighed, but nevertheless nodded and waved his hand in a gesture to indicate the door.

Kieran yanked it open with more force then was likely necessary, but before he stepped out of the office, Kain's voice stopped him.

"I don't think you did this."

It made him feel better to hear that, but he was still seething and so said nothing and slammed the door shut behind him.

* * *

Leo was not impressed with the guard they assigned to watch him. He was completely boring and slightly creepy.

Cuore had explained the reason for him needing to be watched, and because he adored his sister he agreed, but that was yesterday.

Today he decided he didn't like it.

So he ran away from the knight and lost him in the maze of castle highways, ducking in and out of the gardens until he was quite sure the man wouldn't be able to find him.

He felt slightly guilty for disobeying his sister, but not enough where he would go and turn himself in.

Not when it was a glorious day outside. The snow had let up slightly, but the flakes from last night had stuck and painted the world with frost.

The gardens were white and chilly, and Leo skipped through the passable drifts of powdery snow, grinning at the few plants that defiantly stayed alive.

Icicles were clinging to every surface they could, and the sky was still grayish despite the sun.

Leo had hoped his sister would decide to go home after the incident in her room, but she had told him she had made a promise to Cid and Luca and she would keep it.

She'd also said her work wouldn't take more than another week.

He hoped that was the case; he was feeling a little homesick and all the negativity surrounding his sister made him angry and scared.

It wasn't fair that people treated her so poorly. If they only took the time to get to know her, they would see what a great person she was.

Leo hated them all for being so cruel.

One section of the garden he was in was completely impassable by walls of snow, and so he moved around it, ducking under a low hanging and ice laden branch. There was a partial pathway this way, though the cobblestones were hidden and the way slippery.

As he followed the curves of the pathway, Leo finally came to another clear area where the snow wasn't so impenetrable, and paused to look around.

Sitting on a bench not far from him was a familiar figure and Leo brightened, hopping over a drift to get a better look.

"Felix!" he called, waving.

The boy looked up from his book, obviously startled, and fixed his hat. He didn't wave back but Leo hurried over to him regardless and smiled.

"What are you doing out here?"

Felix blinked, "I-I'm studying. We have a test tomorrow."

"Oh." Leo said, still smiling.

There was a pause and Felix coughed lightly, "Do you…want to sit here?"

He pointed at a space next to him and Leo's smile widened, "Thanks!"

He brushed snow off the seat and plopped down, glancing at Felix's book before he kicked his feet back and forth. They barely skimmed the top of the snow drifts around them.

"So, what's your test about?"

Felix sniffed and absently run his fingertips along the edges of the book in his lap, "W-well, we're learning about where magic comes from, and history stuff."

Leo wrinkled his nose, "I hate history."

"Yeah, it's boring." Felix agreed, nodding.

Leo bent down and scooped up some snow, forming a ball in his hands, "Hey, you get snow in Mysidia?"

"N-no, not a lot. We're too close to the water." Felix said, watching him closely. "But usually some mages get together and make it snow for a week every year. We get it off from classes, too."

Leo grinned, "You ever been in a snowball fight?"

"Y-yeah, once. I'm not very good at it." his friend said, wincing.

He threw his newly formed snowball at a nearby tree, watching as it splattered to pieces in front of them.

"It's hard to be bad at snowball fights," Leo said, glancing back at the other boy, "I mean, it's just a game. It's fun!"

"N-not really." Felix disagreed, shifting.

Leo pouted, not sure how a snowball fight couldn't be fun. If he were back home right now, he'd probably be having one. Granted, he wasn't nearly as good at them as the rest of his family. But his mom always cheated with magic, anyway. Cuore said so.

"Well, what do you like to do?" Leo asked, preparing another snowball.

Felix hesitated, "You promise you won't laugh?"

"Of course I won't laugh!" Leo said, grinning, "Unless it's something _really _weird,"

The other boy didn't seem convinced, and he adjusted his hat, "The other kids make fun of me…"

"Well, I won't." Leo promised, nodding solemnly, "We're friends so I won't laugh at you."

Felix's eyes widened, "W-we're friends? Really?"

Leo made a face and stared at him, confused, "Of course."

The boy smiled slowly; it was the first time he'd looked remotely happy and Leo grinned back at him, throwing his snowball at the tree again. "So, what do you like to do?"

"I-I like to paint." Felix admitted, "Is that weird?"

"No," he replied, shaking his head, "What do you paint?"

"Mostly landscapes. I'm not very good at people yet." he explained, voice quiet, "But I like to do it at night, when no one's around. I get nervous when people watch me."

Leo nodded and Felix frowned, "Maybe that's why I'm no good at magic…"

"I bet you're really good at it!" he said cheerfully. "I've only cast some spells sometimes, even though my mom and dad try to help me all the time."

Felix sat upright, "Y-you should come to class with me!"

Leo tipped his head to one side, "Class?"

"Y-yeah, magic class. We're having a field trip tomorrow," his friend explained, "I bet they'd let you come for that. Maybe you'll learn something fun…"

"Fieldtrip? Where too?" Leo asked, thinking it sounded more exciting than his normal daily activities.

"To the Serpent's Road," Felix said, nodding, "It's a really cool magical device. After our test we're going."

Leo grinned, "That's cool. I've never seen it."

"Then you should come!" the other boy insisted.

Leo hesitated, "Well…I have to ask my sister, okay? But if she says yes, and it's okay with your teachers, then I'd love to go."

Felix smiled again, "It will be fun."

"Now, come on, just one snowball fight?"

"I-I guess…but don't throw them too hard, okay?"

Leo hopped up and grabbed a handful of snow, "Promise!"

* * *

Kieran wondered if the novelty of slamming doors would ever wear off. But so far, it hadn't, so he slammed the door to the infirmary upon entering. The few white mages scattered about jumped, startled, and all glanced over at him.

A few of them glared, annoyed at having been interrupted during studies or duties or private lessons with the more advanced students.

Kieran just glared back at them, unimpressed with their dirty looks.

Viola was busy organizing the spell books and caught his eye as he wandered further into the room. She smiled, "Kieran! I didn't think I'd see you until this evening."

He collapsed into the nearest chair around her and continued to seethe, not feeling very conversational.

She must have sensed something was wrong because she frowned and set aside her work, "I'm actually surprised to see you at all,"

"I told you I would come get checked," he mumbled, glaring at a potted plant across the room.

Viola circled around the chair and stood in front of him, a book hugged to her chest and concern shading her features.

"Kieran, are you alright?"

"No." he snapped, glancing at her, "I'm in a bad mood, so don't take anything I say too seriously."

Someone as kind as Viola was liable to get easily offended with how irritable he was at the moment.

Viola sighed and dragged a chair from across the aisle, noisily, and placed it in front of him. She sat down and he stared at her, wondering why she was willingly making this into a big deal.

The older woman took her time smoothing her robes and then demurely placed the book in her lap before fixing him with piercing look.

"What happened?"

He hesitated and then looked away, laughing bitterly, "I got suspended."

Viola frowned, but he noted she didn't seem all that surprised, "For?"

Kieran shook his head, "That's the part that gets me. Considering how many marks I have on my record for disobeying orders, or displaying attitude, or back talking, I got suspended for something I had nothing to do with."

Viola blinked, "What?"

With a sigh, Kieran detailed the events of Cuore's room and the meeting in Kain's office and by the time he was done telling the story, he was less angry and more disappointed.

The white mage tapped her fingers against the hardcover of her book, "What does Cuore say?"

"She doesn't seem to think its any big deal." Kieran said, shrugging, "She thinks it was vandalism and nothing more."

"No, no, not about that. I meant about your suspension." Viola said, waving a hand.

Kieran stared at her, annoyed, "What part of my story where I was told to stay away from her did you not hear?"

She sighed dramatically and finally reached out to take his arm, inspecting the wound. It was why he originally came, and he tried not to fidget while she checked to make sure everything was alright.

The more time he had to think about it, the less angry he was over the suspension. By no means was he alright with it, however.

It was hardly fair, but if Kain was right and others were being treated the same, then he supposed he couldn't complain. He didn't want favoritism, after all.

Still, the whole situation made him uneasy. To know that he wasn't trusted hurt, and to know that all the cruel things he done and said in the past would come back to him wasn't pleasant to think about, either.

Despite the fact that he doubted they would catch whoever did this, he hoped they did. Simply out of spite so he could triumphantly declare that he had done nothing wrong.

"Well," Viola said, bring him back to the present, "the good news is you're all healed up and I sense no infection."

Kieran nodded, "Thanks."

She sighed and leaned back in her chair, "What are you going to do?"

"I…haven't really thought about it." he admitted.

His plan for the day once he'd been suspended was mostly to be angry. Now that he was done with that part, he had no idea what to do. He hadn't had more than a few days free time in months.

"Well, I think you should tell Cuore what happened. It only seems fair." Viola explained.

Kieran frowned at her, "Since when are you a bad influence? Kain told me to stay away from her."

"Then it was an order?" the white mage asked, leaning forward.

He nodded, "Yes."

"Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but you're suspended. You don't take orders when you're on forced leave." she said slyly.

Kieran stared at her, surprised, "I had no idea you were so devious."

She stood and grinned, walking past him and only pausing long enough to rest on her on his shoulder and make one last comment. "It's the quiet ones you have to watch out for,"

Cuore glanced at the schematic that was laid out on the pristine flooring of the bridge and squinted at it, trying to figure out why the navigation drive on the paper didn't match the actual one she was looking at.

Cid had apparently gotten over his annoyance at her and come down in the morning to hand her the blueprint, asking her to work on the bridge controls.

She wasn't sure if his change of heart had to do with the incident in her room, the drugs he was on for his rampant flu, or the fact that yesterday the airship had actually _hovered_.

No matter the cause, Cuore was gratefully their little war had ended peacefully. She had proven herself worthy to fix the ship and most of the major kinks had been worked out. There were minor adjustments that were needed to everything, but the bridge controls were hazardous at best.

The designs were ambitious, but she wasn't sure they were actually feasible.

Cuore pulled a bundle of tubes and wires out of the corner of the control panel and heaved a sigh, wondering who had thought it a good idea to merely shove them into the back and not even bother connecting the conductor leads.

"_This ship may never fly_," she thought, attempting to untangle the mess before her. "_The design is too far advanced for the current level of technology on this planet._"

"_But if you understand it, why don't you just, you know, make stuff to make it work_?" Midgardsormr asked.

Cuore frowned, "_I do not wish to interfere_."

"_But you're helping them right now_," Anima pointed out, "_What is different_?"

Cuore glanced at the blueprints again, "_These are concepts the people have already made. Assisting with them is hardly interfering. If I were, however, to build them an internal combustion engine with supersonic turbines…well, that would be interference in the natural progression of the planet._"

"_And that would be bad_?" Midgardsormr said, sounding puzzled. "_Wouldn't that be good_?"

Cuore closed her eyes, "_The Lunarians taught magic to people before they were ready. We saw how that turned out. The Lunarians gave them knowledge of flight before they had conceived of it themselves. We know how that turned out as well. I will not make the same mistake. Not only do advances build power that can turn dangerous, but if they are merely given and not worked for, they breed laziness and greed_."

She rolled her eyes, "_That sounded arrogant, didn't it_?"

She heard Barbariccia snort, but it was Rubicante who spoke to her, "_No, it did not, Cuore. You are right that knowledge can be dangerous. We have no way of knowing what will happen, but I also don't want you to waste the knowledge you've been given._"

Cuore chuckled and tossed the still tangled bundle of wires aside, "_I won't_."

She ducked halfway inside the panel that had recently been cleared of excess tubes and fiddled with one of the control circuits, wondering how Cid or Luca came up with the idea for electricity but knew so little of how it worked.

"_They came up with nothing_," she realized, getting a mild shock from the wires as she adjusted them. "_They copied this design from the Lunar Whale…incorrectly_."

"_Proving your point, I suppose_." Phoenix mused.

Cuore chuckled again, "_Preciously_."

There was a clanking sound that echoed through the box-like station she found herself in. She was wedged between a large power coupler and a wall of steel, but the sound still vibrated through the metal around her, letting her know someone was walking up the ramp.

Cid was still ordered to bed-rest so she doubted it was him, and the steps were too even to be Leo running to meet her.

No, these steps were even and solid and she paused, trying to remember who walked like that. She'd heard it before, after all.

Cuore grinned and held her hand out of the opening, calling out, "Hey, Kieran, hand me a chrome-vanadium flare wrench."

There was a pause before he spoke up, "How did you know it was me and how are you _fitting_ in there?"

Cuore poked her head out to grin at him, "I'm naturally flexible and your footsteps. Clanky-clank." She waved her hand, "Flare wrench,"

Kieran looked unimpressed but nevertheless handed her the right tool, commenting, "Was it necessary to say 'chrome-vanadium'? They're _all_ chrome-vanadium."

Cuore ducked back inside the panel and adjusted a few of the nuts around the leads, all the while talking. "I am still interested to see just how much you know about airships and tools and such. Besides, a few of Cid's tools are not chrome-vanadium despite my insistence they make for better tools."

Kieran replied distractedly, "Well, it's Cid. When does he ever listen?"

Cuore had to agree but she focused on the task at hand until all the leads were properly attached and then crawled out of her hiding spot on her hands and knees.

She set aside the wrench and sat back on her heels, brushing a strand of hair that had fallen free of her ponytail away.

She tipped her head to one side, "What are you doing here?"

Kieran paused, as if thinking about her question before he glanced around the bridge of the airship in a deliberately slow fashion.

Cuore raised an eyebrow and watched, waiting for an answer.

"I…" he said, returning his attention to her and holding out a basket. "Cid never remembers to take breaks. You strike me as the same type of person. I brought you something to eat."

"_What the hell_," Barbariccia said, sounding disgusted.

Cuore severed the link with her Eidolons, flustered, and readjusted her focus to the current reality.

There was an awkward pause and she smiled hesitantly, "That was…kind of you. Thank you."

Kieran merely shrugged and Cuore stood to take the item from his hands, giving him a funny look as she did so. "This is…unexpected."

"What, that I came down here? I do try to avoid the hanger like the plague," he said flippantly, gaze travelling to the pile of wires off to one side. "Heard Cid was out sick. That means it's safe to venture down here."

She giggled lightly but shook her head, "No, not to see you here, but that you…brought me lunch."

Cuore dropped her gaze, frowning as she tried to figure out what was going on. "May I ask…why?"

Kieran sighed, "I could go back to being awful to you, if you'd prefer,"

She fixed him with a look, "That didn't answer my question,"

"You didn't answer mine, either." he retorted.

Cuore sighed and sat down, not sure what was going on but deciding she would gladly accept food regardless.

"Would you like to join me?" she asked, looking back up at him.

Kieran merely hesitated, and she felt herself flinch, wondering if somehow she'd insulted him or maybe overstepped her bounds.

"Sorry," she said quickly, shrugging one shoulder, "I just…I assumed you were off duty today since…" She trailed off and gestured to his normal clothing as way of explanation.

Sometimes she missed being able to speak solely with telepathy. The spoken word could be so frustrating.

He seemed startled by her comment and shook his head, "No, no, I am, I wasn't hesitating because of that…" Kieran frowned and sat down across from her on the ground, "Never mind. Forget it."

Cuore chewed her lip for a moment but decided to take his word for it and took a deep breath before curiously peeking into the basket.

"Okay," Kieran said, interrupting her inspection, "I have to ask what those wires are."

He pointed at the pile and she rolled her eyes, pointing her thumb over her shoulder at the still-open panel behind her. "I found those stuffed in there as a child might hide a mess under his bed. I have no idea what purpose they are supposed to serve."

Kieran looked equally unimpressed, "Cid probably doesn't know either,"

Cuore tapped the blueprint as she nibbled on a sandwich, "Just look at this and tell me what you see."

"A mess." Kieran replied without looking, "All the blueprints are. Cid supposedly keeps his designs in his head."

Cuore was skeptical, but she said nothing and just complained, "I don't know that I can make this ship fly,"

"Did you fix the conductor leads?"

"Yes."

"How about the bypass flow junctions? Those were horribly outdated…"

"Yes."

Cuore giggled, "Why aren't you down here doing this,"

"I'll pass, thanks." he mumbled, leaning back against the wall. "No suggestions you make ever get through the thick skulls of the engineers anyway."

Cuore grinned and twisted around to grab a notebook off of the ship's console behind her.

"You think so, huh?" she teased, flipping through the first few pages before opening it to the one she needed and passing the book to Kieran.

"That is a design of Cid's that he has in reserve to make." she explained.

Kieran looked it over and slowly shook his head, "A small vessel with maneuvering capabilities and an emphasis on weapons, not cargo."

"Don't miss the name," Cuore said, smirking.

"The _Defiant_." Kieran read aloud, rolling his eyes. "I guess I should be flattered he took my advice,"

Cuore shrugged and returned the book to its resting spot behind her, ponytail whipping over her shoulder from the rush of movement.

When she looked back, Kieran was giving her a weird look so she blinked at him, wondering what was wrong.

"Really?" he said, pointing at her, "You have a _giant_ Phoenix emblem on your back? A little much, don't you think?"

"It's our symbol!" she retorted.

"So you're branded with your country's flag? That makes it even worse, blade dancer." he countered.

She pursed her lips, "Well, at least I don't wear armor that makes me look like a sword rat. Ever impale anyone on those spikes?"

Her biting comment earned her something rare; a half-smile from Kieran Astor.

Truthfully, the phoenix design on her back may have been a bit much, but she was also proud to wear it.

She was actually surprised he didn't continue to mock her outfit, since it was rather odd attire. But it was simple and malleable; exactly what she needed to work on airships.

Her clothes consisted of a black jumpsuit with wide straps at the top and a squared neckline that showed off the gray shirt she was wearing underneath. The shirt was laced in the front up to her neck and the sleeves were loose and billowy from the shoulders down to her wrists, where the fabric tightened.

The only color spot was the dark blue sash she had tied around her waist, trailing to her knees, along with the golden embodied symbol on her back.

Kieran suddenly looked a little uneasy and asked carefully, "Is it still okay that I call you that?"

She blinked, "What, blade dancer?"

He nodded and Cuore tipped her head to one side, "Of course, why wouldn't it be?"

"Well," he began, averting his gaze, "I gave you that nickname to be mean, and I wasn't sure if…"

She smiled slowly, "This may surprise you but I like that nickname. I was angry with it at first, but it's…not so bad. Besides, I'd rather be called that then witch."

Kieran winced, and she reflected the action, hastily adding, "I didn't mean you,"

"Well, I did use to call you that…"

Cuore shrugged, "It doesn't matter." She thought of something and blinked once more, asking him a question of her own; "Is it still okay if I call you cloud biter?"

"I should really say no to that," he said, voice light, "But I guess it's only fair."

Cuore giggled, flicking her hair over her shoulder. She studied him and frowned, "Are you alright? You seem…preoccupied."

He seemed to hesitate again, something Cuore wasn't used to seeing him do, and then frowned, looking annoyed.

"It's nothing. Tell me about this ship. What are you working on?" he said.

Cuore supposed she should have pressed for an answer to her question, since he kept dodging it, but she decided she didn't want to wrinkle the delicate friendship they had built up. So she let him sidetrack her and she began to detail the finer points of the ship's controls.

They were advanced; at least in concept.

Cuore began her tale of repairs slowly, using minimal technical terms until Kieran reminded her she wasn't speaking to someone who only knew airships _flew_.

"So, the bypass cylinders were out of sync and you had to adjust the pressure valves?"

Cuore paused, and then nodded enthusiastically, pleased she didn't have to worry about speaking in direct terms.

"Yes, preciously. I realigned the injectors, but…this design has many flaws." she said, trailing off with a frown.

Kieran nodded and traced the engine scheme with a fingertip, "The engine needs to be more powerful to generate the energy needed to run this ship. It's needs a more continuous ignition…" he narrowed his eyes, "The design for the turbines…that will never work either."

Cuore leaned forward, "What do you mean?"

He frowned, "Do you…have a piece of paper?"

She reached behind her again and pulled the notebook from its perch, dragging a pencil with it. She held the items out to him and he took them, flipped the book open to an empty page and scribbling instantly.

"See, we've only had success with short bursts of internal combustion, not enough to use it much in airships," Kieran said, still sketching something.

Cuore's curiosity got the best of her and she crawled on her hands and knees, circling around him so she could peer over his arm and see what he was drawing. At first she was having trouble figuring out what it was, but as he continued to speak the shape became clear.

"But if we could sustain that combustion, if we could keep that energy flowing…" Kieran shrugged, "The gears and propellers we have now wouldn't work, but…what if we modified the turbines into a more cone shape, like this?"

Cuore forcefully tilted the page to look at what he'd designed and she blinked in surprise. "You…suggest we should build the turbines in a shaft, internally."

"It should create a more stable environment." he replied.

She continued to stare at the sketch for a few moments, surprised and impressed. Her assumptions that they hadn't advanced very fair were obviously incorrect.

Kieran's idea was basic, but the concept was exactly what the next step would be. This technology would lead to not only advances in airships, but give way to other fields as well.

She smiled slowly and glanced at him, earning her a somewhat wary look from Kieran.

"What?" he asked tightly, pulling away from her.

Cuore realized how close she'd gotten in her inquisitiveness and sat back on her heels, mentioning, "This…is a very impressive design. Far more advanced then I would have expected."

He frowned and she winced, giggling nervously, "I didn't mean to imply you weren't intelligent, I just meant that-"

He waved a hand at her, another half-smile on his face, "I knew what you meant,"

He handed her back her notebook and Cuore tipped her head to one side, "What is the real reason you don't work on airships? You obviously have talent…"

Cuore could practically feel a barrier go up in their conversation and she inwardly cringed, annoyed that their talks always stalled out. Kieran shrugged and glanced out the door, clearly not wanting to discuss it.

Cuore nervously brushed at her hair, "If you were bored, I could use the help down here," she said, trying to keep a light tone in her voice.

Kieran shot her a semi-amused look, "Not on your life blade dancer."

Cuore frowned at him and he hopped to his feet in one fluid motion, "Speaking of which, I should let you get back to work. I'll see you later."

She was confused and mentioned, "Later?"

"…An expression, Cuore. Not literal."

She giggled, looking up at him with a coy smile, "Oh."

He luckily didn't tease her and waved as he disappeared from sight, calling back, "You might want to take a look at the manual leverages. They are omitted from the blueprints."

Cuore sighed, realizing he was right.

How did they ever get along without her?

* * *

Leo hated getting in trouble. Especially when it was his sister doing the disciplining.

He had dropped his gaze to the floor when he'd seen the look of sheer disappointment on her face. He hated it when she looked like that.

Her voice tone wasn't angry, but it was a stern, and very much reminded him of their mother. He could also hear a slight falter in her words; he suspected she really had been worried.

"The purpose of having a guard watch you is to keep you safe." she explained, hands on her hips. "That can't happen if you've run off!"

Leo frowned and studied the pattern of the tiles under his feet.

Cuore sighed, "It's for your safety. I have no way of knowing if the same person who vandalized my room wants to hurt you."

Leo finally glanced back up, "How come you don't have to have a guard follow you around?"

His sister narrowed her eyes, obviously annoyed by the question, but Leo just stared back at her, silently demanding an answer.

"This isn't about me." she retorted maturely.

He was unimpressed, "I don't think it's fair."

"Life's not fair."

Leo groaned, "You sound like dad,"

"I just want to be sure your safe." Cuore insisted, acting like she hadn't heard that last comment.

"Now you sound like mom," he whined.

Leo was annoyed with his sister. She was worrying too much. Still, he didn't like the way she was looking at him. So concerned and disappointed and frustrated.

She sighed again and sat on the edge of the bed, "Leo, I know how annoying it is to have someone follow you around, but…"

Cuore glanced out the window at the setting sun, "I don't want anything to happen to you. Especially not because of me; of who and what I am. You mean everything to me, you know that. My family is my life."

Leo relented and climbed up next to her, settling so that he could lean on her arm, "I am sorry, sissy."

Cuore smiled slightly and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, "I know. And trust me, I know how annoying having a babysitter is. But really, that guard was so flustered to tell me he lost you!"

Leo giggled and she continued, poking him in the arm, "You said I sounded like mom and dad but I think you are just as guilty!"

"Hey!" Leo said, frowning up at her, "I said I was sorry!"

"Does that mean you'll not do it again?" she asked.

Leo heaved a sigh, "I guess…"

Cuore chuckled and gave him a squeeze, "Good. And I promise we won't be here much longer. I'm ready to go home."

"Me too." Leo agreed, perking up after a moment, "Oh! That reminds me. I saw Felix today and he invited me to go with his class to see the Serpent's Road."

He looked up at her with the sweetest expression he could muster, "Can I?"

"I don't know, _can_ you?" Cuore instantly teased.

He quickly corrected himself, "_May_ I?"

In the past, he'd been the one to correct her speech to more human inflections, but lately Cuore had been nick-picking his grammar. He supposed it was a fair trade-off.

He could see his sister hesitate, and his chance to go out and do something fun slipped away right before his eyes. He quickly spoke up again, gripping her arm as he did so.

"Please Cuore? We won't be going far, and there'll be lots of other kids there, and I already promised not to run away from that guard again, so he'll be there too. I'll do what the teachers say and I won't be any trouble. _Please Cuore_?"

She gave him a half-smile, "I don't know…"

"I promise to be careful! Do you really think anything bad will happen to me?" Leo asked. He smiled slowly and tipped his head to one side, "I'm too cute to hurt anyway."

She giggled and ruffled his hair, "Really now? Is that how that works?"

"Yeah!"

Cuore sighed and nodded once, "Very well, little brother. Be on good behavior, alright? And remember to keep your promise to me."

"I will." he said, smiling. "Thanks sissy."

Cuore hugged him and then stood, glancing out the window with a worried frown, "Now, I have to go meet Ursula. I hope I won't regret this."

Leo grinned and said nothing.

* * *

The Serpent's Road was boring. At least Leo thought so.

They'd been told on the way to the building that housed the magical device to be on good behavior, to be quiet and to not touch anything. Felix had also introduced Leo, in a most nervous fashion, to the teacher and the aide he'd met previously. They seemed alright with him tagging along, especially since Felix explained that a few siblings of students were coming, too.

Apparently this field trip wasn't as official as the classes they went too.

Leo had also made it clear to the guard, whose name he still couldn't remember, that he wouldn't run away again but he also didn't want to actually _see_ him following him.

Not that it mattered; Leo could tell he was there anyway. But still, at least the stone-faced and boring man wasn't constantly around.

"I thought it'd be…cooler." Leo muttered.

Felix shrugged, "Y-yeah, me too, but, it's okay I guess."

"Shhh!" another kid hissed, glaring over her shoulder at them. Felix flinched but Leo just smiled apologetically, realizing they probably shouldn't be talking while Jasmine was.

"Despite the name, the Serpent's Road actually looks nothing like a snake, or a road." she explained, gesturing to the device next to her.

There were four columns that stood as tall as Leo and Felix in the corners of the small room they'd packed into, and in the center was an elaborate pattern of runes etched onto the flooring in a spiral.

Leo thought they looked vaguely familiar, and guessed they were probably Lunarian. His sister sometimes wrote Lunarian symbols.

In the very center of the room was an empty spot on the floor, where the tile had been smoothed and was pure white.

Jasmine was still talking so Leo tuned back in as another student asked a question.

"How come I don't _feel_ any magic?" he asked. His tone suggested he thought rather highly of himself for commenting on such a thing.

Leo had to admit he didn't feel anything all that special, either, but he also wasn't an expert.

Jasmine nodded, "You won't feel anything today coming from the device. It's been deactivated for our visit."

There were disappointed groans all around from the students.

Leo studied the room again and leaned over to Felix, "I don't know that I'd want to go through it without knowing how it works."

"Magic," Felix remarked, whispering back. "It works with magic."

"My sister says it isn't magic," he replied, now confused. "She says its technology, just like the Tower of Babil."

The other boy gave him a funny look, but they were distracted from their conversation and from Jasmine's comments on the history of the road when someone shoved Felix.

He stumbled forward and Leo reached out to steady him before he fell flat on his face.

The bully snickered, and Leo scowled at him, remembering him from his first meeting with Felix. While the boy readjusted his hat, the bully glared at them both, "Oops."

"That was not an accident," Leo snapped, still frowning.

The bully's two friends had arrived and merely shrugged off his comment.

"Hey, who invited you here?" one asked.

Leo glanced at him, "Felix did."

There was a cough and they saw Jasmine shoot the five of them a harsh look, obviously noticing the disturbance.

Felix flinched again, but Leo just sighed, upset that his friend kept getting blamed for things that were hardly his fault. He had no idea why these classmates were so mean to him, but it seemed terribly unfair.

But his sister was right; life wasn't always fair.

Jasmine was waving them all out of the room, speaking as she did so, "Now, everyone, come with me and we'll hear some exciting stories about the Serpent's Road from the guards who guard it!"

Leo had a feeling that _exciting_ wasn't a good description of what they would hear. He'd heard plenty of guarding stories from the Eblan Four, and none of them were exciting.

As the bullies walked by, Leo glared at them and casually stuck his foot out to trip the leader.

He caught himself on the wall and turned to glare at Leo, but the boy just flashed him a grin and darted around one of the other students to hide from possible retaliation. With the flow of children walking through the corridor, there would be no way the bullies could make a move easily. Leo was sure he was safe for the time being.

The hallway gradually opened into the much larger outer chamber that surrounded the Serpent's Road and the students all filed out and stopped in a semi-circle to listen to one of the guards tell a story.

Leo rolled his eyes, not remotely interested in it at all. He looked around, realizing he had gotten separated from Felix, and started to slip through the crowd, looking for his shy friend. It was harder then he thought since half the students were wearing similar robes or hats, but he still trusted that it shouldn't be that difficult to spot the boy.

However, after a minute or so it became apparent that he wasn't in the crowd, leading him to look back the way they'd come. That was the only other place Felix could be, but why he'd stayed in the gate room was a mystery.

Leo took a moment to look around for Jasmine, hoping he could slip away from her watchful eye while the teacher continued to speak up front. He didn't spot the woman and so ducked around the last few children and headed back the way they'd come.

The corridor was a short walk, and before long he was approaching the gate room once more.

Leo squinted into the darkness and then smiled, "Hi Jasmine. I was looking for Felix."

The woman looked startled as she turned around, and Leo frowned, wondering why she suddenly seemed so…guilty.

"Have you…seen him?" he asked when she said nothing and continued to stand stock still.

There was a crackle of energy from the rods in the room and then a magical hum filled the air. Leo leaned around Jasmine to peer at the runes on the floor as they lit up blue.

He could feel a magical pull from the device and he returned his attention to the teacher's aide.

"I thought it wasn't on today?" Leo asked hesitantly, feeling uneasy.

Something wasn't right about this, and with the newly lit up room, he thought he saw Felix slumped against the back wall. He really hoped his eyes were playing tricks on him.

Over the charging Serpent's Road there was a loud, mechanical chime.

Jasmine glanced down at her left arm and then raised it, pulling back her robe's sleeve to gaze at some sort of bulky bracelet.

Leo couldn't see it very well from his vantage point, but her eyes widened when she looked at it.

Another chime. "Your aura readings are abnormally high," Jasmine was muttering.

Leo was more concerned with his friend and he called out, "Felix!" hoping to at least confirm the other boy was alright. He didn't receive a reply.

"What did you do?" he demanded, glaring up at Jasmine. She frowned at him and let her hands fall to her side.

She didn't answer, and Leo continued to glare at her until he heard a soft whispering under her breath. A chant. A familiar chant.

His eyes widened but his reaction was too slow and extended her hand with a semi-apologetic smile on her face.

"Sleep."

Leo felt the magic take effect instantly as all his energy drained from his body and his eyes slid closed without his consent. A moment later he was completely unconscious.

* * *

**Author's Note: So, funny story...I hadn't actually thought about HOW Leo gets kidnapped until I was working on this scene...because he's the type of kid that would scream and bit to avoid being taken. So what solves all plot holes? Magic!**

**Anyway, I'm sure it's no shock that Jasmine was trouble, but trust me when I say you have no idea what all is going on in the world I've built up. No idea at all...not yet.**

**Also, fun fact of the chapter;**

**The original mental draft of Lost and Found did not contain Kieran, or any character in that role at all. I realized when planning the story out in my head, even before it was on paper, that I needed a character to oppose Cuore and basically be awful to her to propel the story onward. So I made him up and worked on his story. It wasn't until I started putting ideas to paper that I thought to make him her love interest also. It's just so much fun when characters hate each other first.**

**So there you have it. Fun fact.**

**Also; Ugh, airships...how come this world has hover cars but no normal cars? *I* don't have a hover car...**


	4. Reality

Cuore multi-tasked on her way from her room to the infirmary, intent on returning the potion she'd obtained for her brother's fleeting illness. She certainly had no need to keep what was left and so before she went to the hanger bay, she would swing by the medical quarters and drop it off.

But on the way she was busy reading up on past airship designs and how they might relate to the current ship. The very basic designs from the early days of ship building honestly had more promise than some of the outlandish designs Cid had in reserve.

Cuore shook her head as she double-stepped down a staircase, flipping through the booklet she had and wondering if she should overstep her bounds and stretch her own rule to build them a few components.

After all, she did possess all the knowledge that Zeromus once had, including Lurarian designs for ships and technology.

But it still felt wrong somehow to so drastically alter the natural progression of their planet and its people.

"_Besides," _she thought, closing the book with a snap_, "what's to say they'll follow the same models? Perhaps they'll come up with their own ways to create stable energy_…"

The best option for the moment seemed to be to merely help them with their current design and then return to her corner of the world. That, at least, would repay the debt she felt she owed for trashing their last advanced ship.

Cuore stepped through the doors of the infirmary and glanced around, hoping to speak with Viola and not someone she hadn't already met. It was always easier to deal with people she'd already talked with rather than strangers who might or might not have a grudge against her.

The brightly lit room was mostly devoid of activity this early in the morning, but she did finally spot Viola sitting at one of the tables and going over stacks of papers.

Cuore slipped inside and made her way over, her movement, although silent, still drew the older woman's eye.

"Oh, Cuore," Viola greeted, smiling. "What brings you in this morning? Nothing bad, I hope."

Cuore chuckled, "I bet people only come in here for bad reasons, don't they?"

"Well, we do only see them when they need us, that's for sure." Viola agreed, setting a pair of glasses aside.

The teal haired teen stopped in front of her and held out the bottle of purplish liquid, "I actually wanted to return what was left of this."

Viola blinked and then nodded, taking the item from her, "Ah yes, and it worked alright?"

"Yes, thank you."

The woman smiled lightly and commented almost to herself, "You're so polite…"

Cuore wasn't sure what to say in reply to that and merely brushed a strand of hair away from her face. The woman glanced up with an unidentified look on her face and spoke again. "Have you seen Kieran lately?"

Cuore nodded, "Yes. I saw him yesterday, actually. Why do you ask?"

"Oh…no reason. Just wondering." Viola muttered, looking around her desk. "Where is that answer sheet…no doubt also missing…"

Cuore awkwardly picked at her fluffy sleeve, wondering if it would be prudent to just walk away since Viola seemed busy. Still, she would have liked to ask the woman a question.

A question she wasn't sure how to phrase.

Viola sighed, "Sorry, I just seem to be missing something every day when I come into work…and today it's the answer sheet. I swear, if someone was cheating again…"

Cuore pause and then perked up, "Was the answer sheet a lined piece of paper, double sided?"

"Yes," the woman replied, seemingly confused.

"It isn't missing. I believe you had it on that desk last time I was here," Cuore said, pointing at the table in the back of the room.

Viola frowned, looking dubious, but got up and wandered over, shuffling through some of the papers and then held one up with a noise of triumph.

"How did you…?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.

Cuore smiled slightly and tapped her head, "Eidetic memory."

"How convenient for you!" Viola said, walking back over with a chuckle. "I wish my memory was that good…"

Cuore nervously rubbed her upper left arm, "Sometimes it's convenient, other times it's…troublesome." She bit her lip and gathered her courage to speak up, "May I ask you something?"

Viola nodded, once again shuffling papers and Cuore looked around the nearly vacant room before adding; "It's…kind of a personal question,"

The woman looked up, amused, "That's alright. I'm a white mage, Cuore, I deal with all sorts of personal things."

She supposed that was true and finally shrugged, mentioning, "Well, it's just…you seemed to know Kieran fairly well but he's never mentioned you. I guess that's not surprising, though. He doesn't really talk to me…until recently…" Cuore trailed off, frowning.

Viola's already amused expression deepened, "You never asked me anything,"

"Sorry," Cuore said, wincing, "I was just curious, is all. How you and Kieran know each other."

The question was an awkward one, since Cuore usually thought it was rude to ask a third party about another person, but she also knew there was no easy way to ask Kieran about it. He was _never_ conversational.

Luckily, Viola didn't even bat an eyelash at the query and leaned back in her chair, one hand still resting on a few papers littering the table in front of her. She sighed and then glanced at Cuore with a half-smile.

"Well, I wish I could say I had a happy story to tell you in reply, but…" she trailed off and Cuore frowned, tipping her head to one side in curiosity.

Viola studied her expression and then let her gaze drop, "I've known Kieran since he came to the castle, actually."

Cuore nodded, thinking that made logical sense considering they both worked in the castle.

Viola paused and glanced at her, and then away, "I'm not sure…what to really tell you. I'm a white mage, I've known Kieran since the attack happened but we didn't actually meet until later…"

The teal haired teen made a face, brows furrowing, "I don't quite understand, but that's alright. I was just curious as to why he seems so fond of you."

Viola stared at her, dumbfounded, "Fond?" The woman laughed, hiding her chuckles behind her hand, and Cuore just blinked, puzzled by her reaction.

"Kieran isn't very friendly with anyone," Cuore explained, still confused. "Even Ceodore and Ursula. I know they are friends, but I noticed he seems…more trusting of you somehow. I was wondering if perhaps you had known his family."

She knew she was clarifying more of her thought process then she really needed too, but she was still trying to avoid her guilt about effectively talking behind his back.

It was his fault for being so supercilious.

Viola smiled sadly, "I didn't know his family, though…sometimes I wish I had. The way he talks about them…"

Cuore had never known the young man to talk about his family, save for once and that wasn't a very pleasant memory for her.

The white mage sighed, "The truth is, I only know Kieran so well because of how we met. I'm not sure if he's _fond_ of me at all, but you are right. He does trust me."

She closed her eyes, "I just wish, sometimes, that we hadn't of met at all, that all those bad things hadn't of happened. No twelve year old should have to go through that…"

Cuore flinched and Viola glanced up, looking ashamed and alarmed, "Oh! I didn't mean-"

She held up a hand and offered a weak smile, "No, no, don't apologize. I know you didn't mean anything by that."

The woman still smiled guiltily, sadness filtering through her green eyes. Cuore chewed her bottom lip and hazarded another question, feeling like she was overstepping even more.

"Then…if you met because of the attack, he must have been injured?" she questioned carefully.

Viola nodded ever so slightly, "Yes, along with dozens of others…that was the week from _hell_."

Cuore nervously fiddled with the tails of her sash, not sure if this answered her questions at all. She didn't dare ask anything more though. Maybe someday she'd get the chance to actually talk to Kieran about it.

Maybe.

If she could gather that much courage.

Viola glanced at the clock on the wall near the door and stood, "Oh, I'm sorry to be rude and run off, but I have class in a few minutes."

Cuore was glad for the change in subject and smiled, "You teach magic?"

"Yes, for a few hours in the morning," she replied, looking amused. "I do a shift of normal work afterwards."

"My brother is apparently on a field trip today with one of the classes…" she remarked, wondering if he was having fun.

Viola smiled as she gathered her papers, "That must be the one going to the Serpent's Road. I bet he'll have fun."

"I hope so." Cuore said quietly.

Viola scurried to the door but stopped as she reached for the handle and looked back, flashing Cuore a brilliant smile.

"Cuore, for what it's worth, I'm glad to have met you."

She smiled, "Likewise Viola,"

The woman's expression turned a little devious, "I'm also pleased to see you and Kieran getting to know each other. He needs someone to keep him sharp."

She was gone from sight and Cuore made a face, completely confused.

"I'll never understand humans…" she muttered with a shake of her head.

* * *

Kieran stared at the ceiling, wondering why all the walls in the castle were such an ugly shade of _bland_.

Some of the grander hallways tried to be more exciting with colored drapes and tapestries, but even they were quite boring when you really took the time to look.

He wished he didn't have the time to look.

This morning had been the morning from hell. His three roommates had not let him forget he was suspended, nor had they let him sleep in peace, and honestly, it was a miracle there hadn't been a physical altercation.

"_Ha, that's all I would have needed. Another demerit_…" he thought rolling his eyes.

There was a knock at the door and he groaned lightly before looking over at the door, barely rolling on his bed so he could halfway seeing it.

"Yeah?" he called wearily. He was pretty sure he wouldn't want to talk to whoever was on the other side.

"Hey," Ceodore greeted, overly cheerful.

Kieran stared at him, suddenly wary. The feeling only increased when Ursula smiled and waved almost stupidly from beside the prince.

"Can I help the two of you?" Kieran asked sharply, hoping to scare them off with a dose of bad attitude.

For once, it didn't work.

"Well," Ceodore began, "I was thinking it's been awhile since we all went out and did something fun,"

Kieran scowled at where this was headed, and glanced Ursula as she bobbed her head in agreement, "We should go do something fun!"

He sighed and averted his gaze, "Thanks, but I'm not really in the mood for 'fun'."

Ursula rolled her eyes at him, all pretenses gone. "You're never in the mood for fun. You're always too busy moping."

Ceodore shot her a surprised and somewhat reprimanding look. She just shrugged.

Kieran narrowed his eyes at them, "Did Kain send you here?"

They glanced at each other and he made a face, "If he wants to check on me, then he can come himself,"

"He thinks you're still mad at him," Ceodore mentioned in a hushed voice.

Ursula crossed her arms, "I'm going to tell him he's right."

Kieran rolled his eyes, "I'm not…mad anymore, but I'm not…completely fine, either. Alright?"

"Look, we're going to go curling for a while," the prince commented invitingly. "You could come with us. It'll be fun."

"So I can watch Ursula beat you seven to one again?" he countered, smirking. The blonde princess grinned and socked Ceodore in the shoulder. He just deflated and looked disappointed his past losing streak had been brought up.

Kieran frowned, "I'm not going to come and be a third wheel,"

"You won't be!" Ursula objected, "You're our friend!"

"Yeah!" Ceodore agreed.

He leaned back and groaned, annoyed with their forced happiness on the subject. They were trying way too hard.

"I have things to do," he replied.

Ceodore raised an eyebrow and took in the room before holding up his hands, "Like what? Counting the dots on the ceiling?"

Kieran glared at him and Ursula sighed, "Kieran, come _on_."

"I'm not going to be the Kain to your Cecil and Rosa," he complained, pointing at each of them in turn. "I'm _fine_. I will find something to do. You two go and have fun. Let me _mope_, as Ursula so nicely put it, in peace."

They exchanged a glance, probably deciding what argument to use to convince him to come next but he just sighed and shook his head.

"Well…" Ceodore said, hesitating, "You know where we'll be…if you change your mind,"

Ursula nodded her agreement, "Yes, you're always welcome to come with us. I hope you know that."

He nodded, "I do."

She left the room first, giving a helpless shrug at the situation, and Ceodore just frowned, looking disappointed before he turned to leave.

"Hey, Ceodore," Kieran called, stopping him before he could leave. "Thanks."

The prince smiled slightly and nodded, closing the door behind him quietly.

It _was_ nice of them to invite him, but honestly it was also terribly awkward to be around them. They may be trying to fool everyone that they weren't dating, but he had no desire to be a third wheel. He wasn't that desperate yet.

Though he still didn't have any idea what to do with his time off.

Kieran frowned and went back to staring at the ceiling, trying to remember what he did last time he had a couple days leave time.

He'd slept. It had been right after the whole Zeromus returning thing. He was tried, and injured.

That really didn't fit into his current condition.

He sighed, trying to keep his thoughts from turning to further into the past, before he lived in the castle, before he'd met everyone here, before he'd lost everything.

Even though it was still his life, it somehow felt distant and separate, as if that person and the person he was now were different. And maybe, in a way, they were.

He sighed again, thinking about something O'aka had said.

Kieran rolled onto his side and let the upper half of his body flop over the side of the bed. He fished under the bed for a few seconds, sorting through his eclectic stash of medical supplies, books, maps, candy and other items until he found the one he was looking for.

It wasn't hard to tell the book apart by mere feel; the size was smaller than most of his other books and the cover was burned and rough.

It was a notebook he'd had since he was little, and he'd always carried it with him, writing down ideas and sketches that popped into his head. Kieran still wasn't sure how the thing had survived the fire that consumed his family's house, but somehow, it had.

He _may_ have stolen it back from the debris of his life before the land was officially annexed.

He hesitated, staring at the worn cover but not actually opening it. He hadn't since he'd found it in the burned ruins. He wasn't even sure how much of the information or designs were still inside. But he'd kept it because it was the only thing that survived of his past life.

Cuore had asked him why he didn't work on airships, and Kieran had avoided answering her because he didn't know _what_ to tell her.

He had no idea why the loss of his family, his home, his life had severed that line of creativity. No matter many times he 'happened' to sneak a look at blueprints, or 'noticed' Cid's notes and read up on the latest, he couldn't actually bring himself to do more than minor calculations on the topic.

It was nothing like before; when he would stay up all night sketching something because a bird caught his eye earlier in the day and that in turn sparked an idea about flight. It wasn't the same as when he'd babbled for hours to his brother about engines only for Kaiden to admit he'd stopped listening after he'd heard the word 'engine' more than twice.

Something was different, and it bothered him.

Kieran took a deep breath and shook his head, wondering why now of all times he was thinking about all this. Maybe it was because had the time to actually think, or maybe it was because Cuore had asked an innocent question and he didn't have answer. Or maybe it was even boredom.

He wasn't sure.

But whatever the reason, he gently peeled back the cover of the book, worried it might turn to ash in his hands. Surprisingly, however, it was in good shape, considering. The page edges were torn and scorched, and the first pages were crinkled, but overall, the notebook was readable.

Kieran grinned at the first full on design he found. He'd been only seven when he'd finished it, and his age showed. The airship looked ludicrous, and most of the specs on it were completely inaccurate. But still, it was a start.

And as he flipped through the rest of the notebook, he found that the concepts grew steadily more believable, more constant, more _achievable_.

But it was the last that one that made him stop, nestled a little past the halfway mark in the book, leaving blank pages beyond. It was actually…impressive.

"I came up with this?" he muttered out loud, squinting at the writing and trying to make out his bad notes through the soot on the page. The ship pictured was sleek and wily, clearly built for speed, not hauling or even looks. The notes beside it about the actual design were detailed, save for a notation made on the opposite page.

It begged the question of a power source that could sustain the flight of such a craft.

But Cuore and he had just talked about that, hadn't they?

Kieran hesitated only a moment before leaning over to take a pen from one of his roommate's desks and scribble a few notes in.

* * *

"No, no," Cuore argued, dragging the large piece of parchment away from Cid as she leveled an annoyed look at him. "If you run the power through the secondary couplers you'll lose output!"

He frowned at her, "Then what do you suggest?"

There was haughtiness in his voice that Cuore narrowed her eyes at.

He'd apparently been cleared by the white mages to return to work now that he was mostly over his sickness, but Cuore almost wished he hadn't.

They were no longer arguing, but they were far from best friends. After all, Cid took his airships very seriously, and he was extremely stubborn. But so was Cuore.

"You're spreading your power too thin!" she explained tersely. "It's like…deluding water. If you keep the power output narrow and confined, like a beam of light, then the overall performance will be better."

Cid didn't look entirely convinced, "But if we thin the power it can go to more systems at once."

She groaned, "Energy doesn't work that way!"

She was getting fed up explaining things to him that by all rights he should know. She was cringing inwardly to think that the _Voyager_ had ever flown with its bi-powered systems.

Cuore took a deep breath, "You've copied designs from the _Lunar Whale_ without fully understanding what they do. This is bound to end in disaster, or need I remind you of the _Excelsior_?"

He glared at her.

She just continued, "When you spilt light and refract it multiple times its intensity weakens. The same is true of 'power'. The more you dilute it, the less effective it will be. It needs to be narrowed, defined."

"That doesn't make any sense," Cid complained, gesturing to the designs, "More is better."

"Not always," she insisted, annoyed.

"Yes, always!" Cid said, slamming a fist on the table, "_More_ propellers to make it go faster, _more_ gears to run the propellers. Obviously we need _more_ power in _more_ places."

"What an antiquated view," she remarked dryly, unimpressed.

Cid bristled, "Hey!"

Cuore rolled her eyes and thrust an arm backwards, gesturing to the ship behind them, "Perhaps you should attach a _sail_ to it instead, and truly make the namesake of 'ship' come alive." There was no shortage of snarky distain in her voice.

"I know airships!" he snapped.

"And I know _everything_!" she countered.

If this was a battle of arrogance, then Cuore had no doubt she would win.

Suddenly he started chuckling, which rapidly grew into uproarious laughter. Cuore scowled at him, watching this display with no feeling of amusement whatsoever.

"Are you done?" she asked darkly after a moment, crossing her arms.

He continued on for a few more minutes, practically laying on the table and flailing in amusement.

Cuore was insulted, but tried to tell herself he wasn't laughing at her. Though she suspected he might be.

"Sorry, sorry," Cid said, voice shaky with chuckles. "You've got teeth and claws, don't you?"

She made a face, "Excuse me?"

"Well, it's just, Luca always throws a tantrum when we fight. She'd have overturned this table by now if she were in your place!" He grinned, "My team just let my projects blow up in my face. They don't even bother to tell me they think it's a bad idea."

He glanced off to the side, "Kain just walks away from me whenever I disagree with him. He's no fun. Cecil just sighs a lot but never says much."

Cid snorted another laugh, "But you, young lady, you fight like a behemoth."

Cuore stared at him, aggravated, "That's because I know I'm right!"

He laughed again, pounding his fist on the table. She heaved a loud sigh in the hopes it would dislodge his amusement.

Cid pointed at her, "I like you. You're exciting."

"I'm glad we've established that." Cuore muttered, glaring at him. "Can we get back to the discussion at hand?"

"Sure!" Cid exclaimed, all cheerful grins, "But I dunno what you think we're going to solve. We don't have anything to power this if you think what we've got isn't good enough."

It took Cuore a moment to sort through his poor grammar before she replied, "You need a more sustained form of energy."

"Luca says steam."

"Not enough output for what you're suggesting." Cuore said, tapping her fingers against the table.

"Why do I get the sense you're not telling me everything?" he asked, leaning over the table.

Cuore averted her gaze, "I don't wish to interfere in the natural progression of this planet."

"That's a load of chocobo shit." Cid complained.

Cuore blinked and then rolled her eyes, "I see why Luca leaves every winter."

He chuckled again and sorted through some of the papers on the desk, "You refusing to help is just like Kieran always making comments but not actually coming down to help us. He's obnoxious."

Cuore sighed and glanced back at the ship. She had learned from Cid that he'd finally settled on a name for the vessel; the _Equinox_.

Cuore didn't really understand why humans felt the need to name their machines, but she supposed it wasn't any different than the Lunarians.

"I've been pestering Kain for _years_ but he just ignores me. Bastard." Cid was still ranting.

Cuore glanced back at him, "Not that I'm a stranger to making fun of Kain, but none of this helps us with our airship problems."

"Eh, true." Cid muttered, finally looking back down at his notes.

Cuore wasn't sure if she was glad for the distraction of someone entering the hanger at that moment or not.

There was clanking as a guard hurried down the metallic steps, and it took her a moment to recognize him as the guard that was supposed to be watching Leo.

She still couldn't remember his name, but she smiled slightly and nodded to him, concerned when he flinched at her greeting.

Cid frowned at him, "Geez, you wanna make _more_ noise?"

The man flinched again and glanced between the two of them while Cuore made a face, worried over his expression. He seemed nervous and quite unable to speak.

"Are you alright?" she asked, leaning forward to peer at him.

The guard looked at her, dismayed and stuttered out, "I-I lost your brother."

She stiffened, "What do you mean you _lost_ him?"

The guard flinched a third time, expression flashing with fear, apparently worried that she would lash out. "I-I just…I mean, I was waiting outside, but he never came out. I asked the teachers, but they said they hadn't seen him."

Cuore just stared at him, not quite comprehending what he was telling her.

The man swallowed and took a deep breath, "I am so sorry princess, I swear I was keeping my eye on him, but he must have slipped off and I-"

She shook her head, "Impossible. He promised he would stay with you."

Cid looked disbelieving, "Yeah, 'cause I'm sure he never lies."

Cuore shot him a look, "Leo doesn't lie to me."

"I-I…" the guard continued to almost half speak and she frowned at him, "Come with me. We'll find him."

He nodded and she began to walk away, calling over her shoulder to Cid, "I'll be back,"

Despite Cid's words, and the guards worry, Cuore had a strange feeling about this moment in time. She knew Leo wouldn't have disobeyed her a second time after their discussion the previous night, but she also felt that worrying prematurely wouldn't help matters at all.

It wasn't until the lead teacher claimed to not even know who she was talking and the aide said she hadn't seen him for hours that Cuore felt a spike in her emotions.

The teacher's aide, a petite woman named Jasmine, seemed very flustered, "I'm the one who noticed they were gone first," she explained.

Cuore blinked, "They?"

"Felix Paget is also missing. He's an exchange student from Mysidia," she explained.

Cuore nodded, "Leo talks about him. He's the one that invited Leo here today."

The head teacher, a short man with an attitude, grunted, "Felix is always late. He's probably off doing whatever it is he does that always makes him tardy." He glanced up at Cuore and gave her a once over, "As for your…_brother_, I don't know. I don't even remember seeing him."

Jasmine winced, "Actually, you met him."

"I _said_ I don't remember." The man insisted, glaring at her.

Cuore felt her irritation prickle and she spoke up heatedly, "My brother is hardly invisible. He has sage colored hair." She glanced at the guard, "I assume you've already scanned the area for signs of Leo and Felix?"

The man nodded, "I did, I-I didn't-"

She spoke over him. It actuality, she wasn't angry with him, but she was agitated and uneasy, and it in turn made her tone flat and too many, probably cold.

"Search again," she demanded.

He looked glad to be doing something and left, leaving Cuore to return her attention to the teachers in front of her. Off a few feet away, the rest of the class played in the snow, giggling and apparently unaware that their classmates were missing.

"Is there any chance they may have accidently activated the Serpent's Road?" Cuore asked, trying to be rational and quell the tendril of fear that was threatening to overpower her.

The teacher snorted, and Jasmine shook her head, "No. It was deactivated for our trip to avoid something like that from happening. Children get into trouble quite easily…"

Cuore glanced off to side, mind working through a cycle to explain away the situation when she was distracted by Jasmine wincing and rubbing her upper arm in a nervous fashion.

She looked a little closer and noticed the slight shake in her fingertips. Even if it was cold out, the woman's black mage robs should have kept her warm enough to prevent such violent twitching.

"Are you alright?" Cuore asked, tipping her head to one side.

Jasmine seemed startled and offered a weak smile, "Y-yes, I'm merely concerned. Felix is often late, yes, but…he hasn't ever run off during class before."

"I'm telling you, he's fine," the teacher said, exasperated. "He'll show up any minute."

He glanced at Cuore, "As for you're…._brother_, well, I have no idea."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "Why do you continue to use that inflexion whenever you refer to Leo?"

He gave her a condescending smile, "Well, you aren't actually related, so I'm having a difficult time knowing how to refer to him at all."

Cuore set her jaw, annoyed, but he continued with a heavy sigh and eye roll.

"If I'd known who he was, I wouldn't have even let him come with us. We don't need the other students getting any ideas from him."

She glanced at Jasmine and then returned her attention to the shorter man, "I'm afraid I don't quite understand what you're implying."

He glared at her, "I'm implying that…your type of magic isn't welcome here. There's a reason we don't teach such reckless and unholy spells. Your brother had no place here, and I have no idea where he's gone now."

Cuore felt her annoyance at these people and the situation shift instantaneously to anger. Insults to her she could brush off without a second thought, but to insult her brother, her family, her home. That wasn't something she could abide with.

There was no shortage of wrath in her voice as she verbally lashed out, though part of her wanted to claw the man's face off.

"The reason you do not teach it is because you barely understand it. The type of magic you so distain was at least true magic and not something stolen from a dead race that poisoned your world with their beliefs. Ironic that you prefer the innate magic of someone who nearly destroyed this planet, twice, to other forms. As for not belonging here, you're right. I wouldn't be caught dead here for longer than I have too."

Cuore took a deep breath and pointed at him, "If you can't help me, then at least get out of my way."

There was a tense, awkward pause and the man glared at her before turning on his heel and stomping off, snapping at a couple of older children throwing snowballs at each other.

Jasmine bit her lip as she watched him walk away and then glanced at Cuore, "I'm sorry about him. He's a little rough around the edges. I am sure Felix and Leo will turn up soon."

Cuore was barely listening to her and she stared at the building they were standing in front of.

"May I look inside?"

Jasmine shrugged, "Of course, but I already did and saw nothing."

She ignored her and moved towards the structure, trying to stifle the storm of varying emotions she was currently feeling. As she stepped under the doorway, she felt a light touch to her mind and she gladly accepted the contact.

"_Cuore, I can sense you're troubled from all the way down here_," Phoenix said, sounding worried. "_What is wrong_?"

She explained quickly as she looked around the small building and then sighed, sagging against the wall. "_Phoenix, do you ever…feel like something is wrong but there's no logical reason to feel that way_?"

"_Yes, indeed_."

"_I…something is wrong here, I just don't know what_." She said, pressing a hand to her forehead. "_I'm so…I'm not sure. My emotions are all over the place_."

"_You are worried_." her Eidolon told her, "_It's normal. Leo is your brother, you love him. Focus your thoughts, Cuore. Leo has a very distinct aura about him. If he's nearby, I'm sure you would know._"

Cuore hesitated, "_I've never had very good success with aura seeking_,"

"_But the Maenads were capable of it_." Phoenix reminded her gently. "_It hurts nothing to try._"

Cuore bit her lip, thinking over Phoenix's words. Aura seeking was a magical ability theorized about in Mysidia. Some mages claimed to be able to 'sense' magic around them, whether it be another person or an item. Officially, there was no spell credited with this seemingly random ability, and thus, Mysidia's opinion was that it was random flukes.

Still, the Maenads had been able to sense the Crystals during their time on the planet, and Cuore had their memories from the events. Still, she'd never been able to reproduce their success.

But in this moment, she was willing to try once again.

She wished to believe her brother was merely off getting himself into mischief but something about this moment in time made her uneasy.

Cuore closed her eyes and breathed deeply a few times, blocking out the rest of the world around her. She reached out with her other senses, the ones her heritage granted her, but as usual, she didn't feel anything different. She was beginning to agree with the Mysidian elders that aura seeking was fake.

"_Allow me to help_."

Cuore was startled by the voice and her eyes snapped open.

"_Zodiark_," she greeted, surprised. It was rare the keeper of the precepts contacted her; his voice was deep, wroth with power. It echoed strangely, as if he were part machine, or perhaps he was speaking into a vast, empty room.

"_I can enhance this part of magic, destined one. With my guidance we can search for your brother_." he explained.

Cuore didn't even hesitate and she nodded, closing her eyes once more, "_I am grateful for the help_."

Aloud she spoke the lengthy incantation to summon the powerful Eidolon. Some things had been simpler when the lost Eidolons were still trapped within their crystalline prisons. Summoning them, for one. Now she spoke lines of ancient words; first to make the connection to their magical realm, then to open the passage between then, then to draw the desired Eidolon out, then to form them in this plane of existence.

Cuore was tired just thinking about it, but she never complained. This was how it was supposed to be. A bond of mutual respect, of trust, of _love_.

The last lines of the spell were unique to each Eidolon; their personal signature to describe who they were.

"Keeper of the precepts, lend me your strength of eclipsing dark. Zodiark, I summon thee!"

As she spoke the words of the spell, a crest, the symbol of whatever Eidolon was being summoned, wove around her feet. Zodiark's was hued in violets, coiling into circles and lines until the glyph looked complete. It flashed with the final words and she heard a clear chime, like crystal striking crystal.

Zodiark phased into the room, his impressive sets of wings unfurling and brushing against the walls of the dome. He hovered for a moment, armored fish-like body suspended eerily between his massive feathers.

"I will compress this reality and seek your brother's light. His aura is distinct; like liquid silver and gold."

Cuore nodded, awed by his description of Leo. Zodiark could put into words what she only _knew_ and _felt_.

"Thank you, Zodiark. I'm _worried_."

"Silence, child. You will never find him, anxious as you are. Allow me."

Cuore fell silent, knowing he was right though she still had trouble quelling the distressing emotions. Eyes closed, she could feel the world around them shift, twist, then revert back again. There were pinpoints of light against a darkened background, but none of them were what she was looking for.

Zodiark hastily caught off the vision, chiding her, "Destined one, it is easy to lose yourself into the reality of time and space. Do not tread where you do not belong."

She flinched, feeling like a child being scolded.

Zodiark merely spoke again, though his words were not what she wanted to hear. "Your brother is not within the walls of this city any longer. I cannot cast my gaze further, but what you seek is not here."

It was those words that made all her apprehensive feelings come true and made the blood in her veins turn to ice.

* * *

Without knowing exactly what to do since her brother's disappearance, Cuore returned to the castle and sought out assistance.

It took a great amount of willpower not to say something nasty to Rosa when the woman asked if she was sure Leo hadn't just wandered off. This was third time she'd been asked that.

"No!" Cuore snapped, hugging herself, "He's not in the castle, or the town. He wouldn't merely run off and he wouldn't break his promise to me. Zodiark confirmed this fact when he couldn't sense his aura nearby."

Cuore closed her eyes, "I'm sorry if I sound…short-tempered."

Rosa stood and walked over, setting her hand on the teen's shoulder and stroking her hair in a motherly fashion. "Of course you're upset, you're worried. Come and sit."

She didn't actually want to sit but she felt obligated to considering she was intruding on their lives and demanding their time.

Rosa was still playing with her hair and Cuore found it annoying. Honestly she hated people touching her hair.

Truly the queen should have had more children. A daughter, perhaps.

"Tell us what happened," Cecil asked.

Cuore sighed but recounted her story again, only pausing and glancing up when Kain entered the room, though he didn't interrupt. She trailed off in her story and Rosa finally stopped stroking her arm, shifting her attention to Kain.

"Well?" the queen asked, sounding worried. "Anything?"

He shook his head, "No, Leo and this other boy, Felix, haven't turned up back at class. In fact, class just let out for the day and the other students haven't seen them since the fieldtrip. The teacher and the aide told me almost exactly what they told Cuore."

Kain frowned, "The guard that was supposed to watch Leo is incredibly fearful that it's entirely his fault."

Cuore had closed her eyes and she muttered, "That, I doubt. I feel…I'm not sure, something about this feels wrong, somehow."

No one spoke, and so she finally raised her eyes and glanced at each of them in turn. Rosa looked as concerned and uneasy as she felt, Kain was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed staring across the room at Cecil. And Cecil, well, he was ignoring Kain and looked troubled.

Cuore blinked, "Why…do you all look like you know something? I need your help,"

Rosa reached out and took her hands, "Of course, Cuore. We'll help you find Leo, don't worry."

"But do you know something?" she asked, glancing between the two men.

They engaged in a halfway private conversation that grated on Cuore's nerves, though she merely watched it.

"It could be nothing," Cecil said.

Kain didn't look convinced, "Or, it could be like the others."

"But _here_?"

"It really was only a matter of time, I think I told you that."

The king sighed, "Yes, but…why right this second? What's changed in the last few months?"

Cuore glared at them and stood, irritated at being ignored.

They stared at her even without her speaking and she out a hand on her hip, commenting, "I was under the impression it was considered rude on your planet to talk about someone in front of them as if they weren't present."

Rosa tugged her arm, trying to get her to sit, "Cuore,"

Cecil looked contrite and offered her an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Cuore, this has caught all of us off guard. Rosa's right, though, you should sit down."

She took a deep breath and collapsed back onto the couch, next to the queen.

"If you know something," she said, hands clasping each other in her lap, "Then please tell me so I can find Leo."

Rosa looked at Cecil, who seemed to hesitate before he shifted his gaze to Kain.

Kain made a face, "Don't look at me,"

He obviously didn't want to be the one to explain any of this to Cuore, and so Cecil sighed, closed his eyes and rested his hands on top of the desk in front of him.

"This will be a long explanation, but you do need to know. There's a group of radical magic users based in Mysidia known as the Magicite. They've never really been a problem in the rest of the world, though apparently Mysidia finds them to be a nuisance. Palom says there are rumors that this…cult, if you will, has been around since even before the Lunarians came here and supposedly the Magicite has influenced decisions based in Mysidia since that time."

Cuore couldn't say she was really surprised, but she said nothing, trying to absorb as much information as she could in the hopes it would prove useful later.

"I'm not sure if there's any truth to that fact currently, or at all, for that matter. However, over the last year there had been mysterious on-goings in Mysidia, including the disappearance of two children, several months apart."

Cuore stiffened, and Rosa took her hand again, "There was another child reported missing from Troia only a week ago, but we didn't think that was related. Though now…"

"This might not be solely Mysidia's problem anymore." Kain finished for her, shaking his head.

Cecil nodded, "The children who went missing had incredible magical talents, and this Felix and your brother certainly fit with that assumption."

"We don't know this is the Magicite," Kain countered, though Rosa pursed her lips. "Who else? The trouble is always in Mysidia."

"Not anymore," he said. "And what if this child missing from Troia is the same circumstance? The Epopts said it was a strange situation."

"The Epopts weren't forthcoming with much," Cecil muttered, sounding lightly annoyed.

Kain shrugged, "That's their prerogative." He frowned and uncrossed his arms, "The only tie to the Magicite is the fact these children have magic. That's a slim lead. Kieran seems to think-"

Rosa cut him off with a loud scoff that made Cuore glance at her, surprised.

"Kieran thinks he knows a great deal, but we really don't have time to discuss his ridiculous claims."

Kain frowned at her, "That's not really fair,"

Cuore was glad when Cecil steered the conversation back on track as she was uncomfortable with the apparent feud going on between the people present in this room.

"Whoever is behind it is really beside the point," the king said with another sigh. "The problem we face, and the same problem Mysidia faces, is that there is very little information as to where these children are now. No witnesses, no solid leads, and the Magicite has always been a shadowy sort of group. They don't exactly advertise where they are at any given time."

Cuore swallowed, "Then…what do we do?"

Rosa sighed sadly and her reaction suddenly made Cuore wary. She was beginning to think this conversation would not please her.

"That's the difficulty we've been facing," Cecil explained tensely. "Anything we do we have to work in complete coalition with Mysidia, since the Magicite is a group that is based within their borders. The fact that it's spread into our kingdom and perhaps even all the way to Troia is unsettling."

Rosa nodded, "We have to go about this very carefully. We've been sharing information with Mysidia on this and other things and we'll continue to do so."

Cuore was growing more and more apprehensive, and she finally spoke up, aware of how strained her voice sounded. "That's all well and good, but what can I do? Where do we go from here? To Mysidia?"

Rosa exchanged a glance with Cecil, and Cuore bit her lip, "What?"

"It's not so simple." Kain cut in, addressing Cuore. "The Magicite is dangerous and unpredictable, and truthfully the leaders in Mysidia have mixed feelings about us helping them deal with this group."

Cuore was having trouble understand what he was trying to tell her, and as if noticing this, Kain sighed and spoke again. "In short, Cuore, there's nothing you _can_ do."

That comment made her bristle, and Rosa continued where he'd left off. "Kain's right. Mysidia doesn't want us helping I can't imagine they will allow you to investigate this."

"They don't have a choice in the matter!" Cuore snapped, "Leo is my brother!"

Rosa gave her a pained smile, "It's not that simple. We will do everything we can to find Leo, but it will be better if you don't get involved. There is nothing you can do. It might be best if you went home and let us do what we can."

Her already sparked temper boiled and she stood up, glaring down at Rosa, "There is something I can do; I can find my brother. I don't care if Mysidia doesn't like it!"

"This could cause a diplomatic incident." Cecil told her. His tone wasn't sharp, but it held a hint of warning to it.

Cuore shifted her glare to him, tired of sitting idle. Nothing would be gained if she continued to sit here or worse, if she went home. The fact that they dared to suggest something so ludicrous made her want to lash out at them.

She spoke succinctly, sharply, "Do not patronize me or dare to imply that I don't understand the possible ramifications."

Before they could speak again, she continued, voice growing slightly in volume with each word as she fought the urge to scream at them.

"The kidnapping of my brother could cause a political debacle as well. It would be _dangerous_ to deny my request, just as it was foolish of you to keep this information to yourself. Did you not think anyone needed to know that children had gone missing?!"

"It wasn't our choice to kept things hidden," Cecil retorted, not sounding pleased she was accusing them. "This is an issue solely based within Mysidia."

"Not anymore!" Cuore snapped, "It has bled into your kingdom, and you've dragged my brother into it as well and now you have the _audacity_ to tell me that I can do nothing? That I should go home?"

Somewhere deep inside Cuore wanted to just run home because she was terrified to face the horror that her darling little brother had been kidnapped.

But she wasn't a coward, and she couldn't just sit complacent and hope that her brother would be fine. No, she would do everything within her power to make certain he was safe.

"Cuore, we're not telling you not to do anything. You just have to go about it the right way," Rosa insisted, still looking worried.

She shuddered, angry, "The right way is to do whatever it takes to get Leo back safe and sound. He's my brother, and maybe that doesn't mean anything to anyone else in this room, but it means everything to me."

Cuore turned in one swift motion, voice icy as she stomped for the door before anyone could stop her, declaring one last comment before she was gone.

"If you won't help me, that's fine, then stay out of my way."

* * *

Cuore wasn't even sure where she was going. All she knew was that she was angry, and terrified, and somewhere, deep down, guilty.

But her fear hid and her anger took the forefront, guiding her to stomp through the lavish hallways wanting nothing more than to do something to act out her rage.

What kind of act that would be, she had no idea.

Smash the glass vases scattered around? Summon one of her Eidolons and have them take out a wall? Unleash some hellish spell upon the first person she saw?

If it had been the latter, then truly Kieran was the most unlucky person in the world as she rounded a corner and collided with him.

"Hey, watch it," he snapped, shooting her a quick glare.

Cuore just shoved him backwards, annoyed. She was not in the mood to deal with his gloomy and harsh attitude at the moment.

Kieran looked surprised, "Sorry for snapping at you, I didn't know it was you."

"Move," she demanded.

He blinked and she slid past him, too clouded with fury and panic to begin to speak anymore.

Cuore didn't get very far as he reached out to lightly grasp her forearm, sounding startled. "Are you okay? Did something-"

She yanked her arm out of his hand and glared at him, still confused by her own emotions but nevertheless angry that he was delaying her further.

"I don't have time for this!" she shouted, not even aware that she had said it aloud. "I have to find Leo!" And then, like a gate breaking, everything came gushing out.

"Leo is gone, and I can't…I can't leave him behind, I have to find him. Cecil and Rosa said…they know something, but…I need to find Leo."

Kieran shook his head and held up his hands, a notebook clutched in one, "Alright, slow down. I only caught half of that. What did Cecil and Rosa say? And Leo's missing?"

Cuore expected another burst of anger at his comments, but instead she was baffled when she felt a few tears spill from her eyes. The slow start did nothing to stop a sob from escaping her throat.

What was _wrong_ with her?

It wasn't like her, even in the most trying of moments, to lose her logic so completely. She tried to reach out to the Eidolons, to ask them to help her, but her mind was such a jumbled mess of roiling feelings that she couldn't focus enough to do so.

If Kieran was startled by her a moment ago, he looked doubly so now but he was still quick to reach out and gently catch her elbows, "You need to calm down."

She was surprised by the practical, flat tone he used, despite looking worried. She didn't resist when he pulled her a few steps down the hall and carefully pushed her into sitting on a chair.

Cuore was only half aware of the present reality around her; she was tangled in her mind and her heart, lost in waves upon waves of emotions she couldn't sort through fast enough.

"Oh, it's all my fault," she whispered. The words caught her off guard and she blinked, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks.

Was it her fault? Maybe, maybe not, but it felt like it was.

Kieran was staring at her like she's lost her mind, and maybe she had. He still knelt on the ground so they were eye to eye and spoke carefully, obviously knowing to tread lightly.

"Tell me from the beginning. Leo is missing?" he asked.

She nodded, "Y-yes, Zodiark confirmed he isn't in Baron."

"And Cecil and Rosa…said what exactly?" he continued.

Cuore swallowed, feeling sick; her mind was racing with a hundred different scenarios of what could have happened and where Leo could be.

She clenched her fists, "W-when I insisted that he was missing, they…implied something about other children going missing, about Mysidia and…"

Kieran winced and she didn't miss the reaction, though more words were already passing through her lips. "They told me to go home, that they would deal with it."

Again, she wanted to see something break, so all consuming was her rage.

The young man in front of her was studying the floor and she took a shuddering breath, whispering, "You know something, don't you?"

Kieran hesitated, and she shivered, biting her lip and tasting salt. "Please," she pleaded, "If you know something, I have to know. I need to find Leo. What if…what if the same person who did that to my room did this? What is he's in danger? What if he's hurt? What if-"

"Cuore, this has nothing to do with you." he assured her, setting a hand on her forearm. "This is…Cecil and Rosa didn't want to worry you, is all, but they shouldn't have tried to send you away. There's…something going on lately, something Leo apparently got caught up in."

Cuore blinked at him, the flow of tears finally slowing and making it easier to breathe, "I-I don't understand. They told me something like that but…what am I supposed to do if not go find him?"

Kieran hesitated again, "Yeah, I know it's confusing, I just…"

Cuore stiffened when he gave her arm a squeeze and guaranteed her quietly, "We will find Leo."

For some reason, his hand on her arm was making it more difficult to focus, and at the moment she couldn't deal with another unknown sensation. She slipped away from his touch, shaking her head, "I can't simply go home."

"I know," he said, nodding, "Cecil and Rosa shouldn't have tried to push you out of this, no matter how much of a mess you've gotten yourself into.

Cuore glared at him, not amused that he was implying this was in any way her fault. She already felt guilty for letting Leo get into such danger. She didn't need Kieran's remarks on the topic.

"I need to find my brother," she snapped, "If no one will help me, that's fine, then they can just stay out of my way. Nothing is going to stop me from finding him."

Before Kieran could reply, footsteps echoed on the staircase a few feet away, signaling that someone was headed their way.

It was that hard to believe that they would try to find her after she'd insulted them and ran off. Cuore supposed it was only natural.

"_Kastra_," she swore under her breath in Lunarian. She could not deal with a second meeting in one day. Not with how volatile her emotions were at the moment.

Kieran saw where her gaze had gone and he glanced over his shoulder, muttering, "Go, I'll cover for you."

Cuore blinked, surprised, but he just pulled her to her feet and gestured towards the nearest turn in the hallway, hissing, "Go."

She nodded, turning away but he caught her wrist and pulled her to stop, leaning to whisper into her ear, "Don't leave town right away. Meet me by the waterfalls outside the castle on the eastern side. You need information before you do this."

For a spilt second, Cuore had every intension of denying his order, but then her more logical side won out and she decided he was right.

She would need to know what she was getting herself into, and if he would give her that information, then she would agree.

Cuore nodded and as soon as he let go, she dashed into the shadows without looking back, knowing that she was short on time.

"_Leo, I swear I will find you_."

* * *

Kieran wasn't sure how Ceodore had figured out anything that was going on, since he hadn't been present for any of it, but he currently found his presence annoying.

"Where are you going?" the prince asked suspiciously.

He didn't bother looking up and, despite Viola telling him they were expired, he tossed a couple of vials into his bag. "Out."

"Out?" Ceodore repeated, crossing his arms, "Where?"

"Crystals Ceodore," Kieran said, finally frowning up at him. "Stop acting like my mother."

Ceodore shot him an annoyed look, "I'm just wondering where your headed, is all."

"I'm suspended, I can go whenever I want."

"Less than an hour after Cuore storms out of the castle?"

Kieran paused, and the prince sighed, uncrossing his arms, "I'm not telling you not to go, I just think…well, I think this is a really bad idea. Cuore going off in a rage is a bad idea, too."

"She's mad." Kieran said, shrugging.

Ceodore rolled his eyes, "No duh,"

Kieran tightened the straps on his pack, muttering, "Look, not to sound rude, but it's really none of your business where I'm going."

He stood and brushed past his friend, but Ceodore grabbed his arm with another sigh. "Yeah, I know that too, but that doesn't mean you can't tell me,"

Kieran made a face and glanced at him, not liking the whiney lit to his voice. He was acting like this was a personal attack against him, when really, Kieran just didn't feel like talking at the moment.

"If I tell you where I'm going, you'll try to stop me." he mentioned.

Ceodore grinned, "Aren't I doing that anyway?"

"I'm doing what I think is right." Kieran admitted. "I'm not telling you anything more than that."

The prince hesitated, "You know this will be another demerit, right?"

"What's one more?" Kieran commented with a grin.

Ceodore released his arm but made an impassive face, "Your record is dripping in red marks, you know."

"It has _character_," he countered. "Unlike your boring, perfect one."

"Hey!"

Kieran lightly smacked his shoulder as he walked by, "Lighten up, and forget this conversation. I don't want anyone pestering you for where I've gone."

He opened the door, almost getting away without any more words exchanged, but then Ceodore commented, "At least be careful, alright?"

Kieran tossed over his shoulder, "You just enjoy the peace and quiet while I'm gone."

He left before his friend could fret anymore or possibly convince him to stay behind. Because honestly, Kieran wasn't so sure this was a great idea himself.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hey everyone, chapter 4! The adventure is starting up. Now, the fun begins.

Sorry about missing page breaks last chapter...the site munched on them for a snack...and I'm trying to be better about editing chapters before posting them to catch spell/grammar errors.

This chapter...kind of kicked my butt. It was so hard to write...I'm not sure if it's perfect, but, well, it's up now.

Speaking of the chapter...there's a lot revealed in this one, but there's a lot more to come. I've dropped some more hints in here because what might appear to be going on isn't really the truth. It's a mystery, after all!

Coming up with summonings for each Eidolon is slightly annoying, but for some reason I feel like doing it. And the bit about a Lunarian swear word? I...may have gone a bit crazy and I might be...making up a bunch of Lunarian words...be afraid, it's really quite scary how much I've put into this. It may all appear in future stories.

The curling is a personal joke between my brother and I. (Curling is a sport played on ice, in case you didn't know. A popular sport in Canada, actually.)

**I must take a moment to brag about my story's cover image:**

Yes, I drew that on the computer. And, I was so lazy I didn't go into another folder on my laptop to pull open any sort of reference pictures on dragoon armor, so I did that all free-hand by memory. Thus, I must brag, because it looks pretty darn good. And armor is hard to draw. Plus, Cuore just looks really cool in that pic, so I love it...

Until next time, I'm done babbling...


	5. Innocence

**Happy belated 4th, everyone! Here's a slightly shorter chapter to keep the story moving.**

* * *

Even before he opened his eyes, Leo felt very cold and disoriented. Once his vision had cleared, he found the reason for this; it was eerily dark and quiet, and his surroundings were completely made of stone. Not a large room, but not small, either, and from the looks of it, carved out of some sort of cavern wall, perhaps.

"Felix?" he asked into the shadows groggily, looking around. Last thing he remembered was the teacher's aide putting him to sleep and his new friend being likewise down. Hopefully the other boy was alright, but for now, Leo tried to let his eyes adjust to the darkness.

It only took a few minutes of squinting before that happened, and it was then he heard some muffled voices. Leo pushed himself up to his hands and knees and called again, this time a little louder, for his friend.

"He's awake!" a voice answered from the other side of the room. It wasn't Felix; the pitch was too high. Definitely a little girl.

"So?" another voice replied, sounding put out.

Leo stood, discovering there was a wall near him, but before he could even take a step, there was movement as a girl hopped out of the other corner.

"You're awake!" she greeted, smiling.

She was shorter than him, with strawberry blonder hair that looked like it was supposed to be tied back in a braid but had other ideas. Leo could tell, even in the dark, that her face was freckled and, although she was smiling, it didn't seem full of much joy.

"Where are we?" Leo asked, rubbing his eyes to clear the sleep from them.

The little girl shuddered, "I don't know. Your friend is still asleep."

"Felix?" he asked, looking around.

She nodded, "The boy with the hat. He's over there. You both weren't hurt, and we couldn't wake you up, so…we waited."

"We?" Leo said, glancing around her where he thought he could make out two other forms, one of which he assumed was Felix since it was lying down.

The little girl nodded and pointed back the way she came, "There's another boy named Raj here."

Leo glanced at her and attempted his own smile, "What's your name? I'm Leo."

"Rainbow." She replied, grinning again. "I'm from Troia."

"Oh, that's cool…" he said, following her to the other side of the room.

Once there, he saw that Felix was indeed still asleep, and so he turned to study the other boy, Raj, and found a glare directed at him.

"What?" Leo asked, frowning.

The boy just looked away, and Rainbow shrugged helplessly, "He's always like that."

"You two are friends?" Leo asked, still confused about the situation.

Rainbow shook her head, "Not really…we were brought here at the same time."

"Brought here? Where's here?"

Raj whipped around to face him with a scowl, "Are you _stupid_?"

Rainbow frowned at him but he had already stood and Leo realized he was slightly taller and probably a little older by the looks of it.

"We've been kidnapped, obviously."

Leo just paused to consider this, not really paying attention to the other boy's outburst. He needed to calm down or they'd never figure out what was going on.

At that moment Felix stirred and Leo knelt down, smiling at him as his eyes opened. "Hey Felix. You okay?"

The boy mumbled something and sat up, taking a moment to fix his hat, and then nodded slowly.

Leo decided to fill him in before he could bother asking what was going on. And to save him from Raj calling him stupid, too.

"I think we were kidnapped by Jasmine,"

Felix nodded, "Y-yeah, she asked me to stay behind in the Serpent's Road and then…I don't know, I think I fainted."

"Nah, she cast sleep on you," Leo told him. "She did it to me, too, when I came looking for you."

Rainbow leaned forward, resting her hands on her knees so she was at eye level with them, "You guys are from Baron?"

"No." they both replied in unison.

Raj snorted, "Who cares where they're from? It doesn't matter. We're never getting out of here."

Felix stared at the older, dark haired boy with large eyes and Leo glared at him, "You don't know that,"

"There was another kid here when Rainbow and I came," he informed them smartly, "He never came back. That's going to be all of us soon."

Leo was not deterred in his optimism, "My sister will find us."

Raj looked less than impressed but Rainbow tipped her head to one side, "You have a sister? I always wanted a sister…"

"M-me too, or a brother." Felix chimed in.

Raj snorted, "No, you don't. I have four brothers and three sisters. It's a nightmare."

Leo scowled at him, "No one asked you."

They glared at each other for a moment and finally Rainbow broke them up, "So, um…you really think your sister will find us?"

Leo nodded vigorously, "She sure will! My sissy is the best, just you wait, she'll find us."

He paused, "Did you…hear something?"

Felix shook his head and Leo looked around at the room, swearing he heard something coming from another corner. Rainbow whispered to him, "That's…the weird girl. She was dragged in here a couple of days ago, but she doesn't talk to us. She just sits over there."

Raj muttered, "I think she's deaf or something."

Leo glanced at them, "How long have you been here?"

Rainbow shrugged, and Raj sighed, "I don't know…it's hard to tell, but it's been at least five days, maybe a week?"

Leo paused to think again, but he heard that weird sniffling sound and so walked over towards it, despite Raj calling to him that he was wasting his time.

Leo squinted into the shadows and spotted a petite girl curled up against the wall with bright red hair. She was staring at him with wide, terrified eyes so he offered a smile, "Hi! I'm Leo."

She just gave him a once over and shrank back further into the wall. He peered closer, wondering why she was wearing such a flimsy looking dress when obviously the caves were freezing cold in the dead of winter. But then again, she might have been kidnapped from somewhere warm, and so maybe her attire made sense.

Leo could tell she was still scared, and probably as confused as he had been, so he knelt down and shook his head, "Hey, don't worry. We'll get out of here. My sister will find us, and then we'll all go home. You don't have to be scared."

She blinked a few times and he smiled again, "What's your name?"

"Titania."

He voice was so wispy he had to strain to hear it, and leaned forward, repeating the name to make sure he heard her correctly. "Titania?"

She nodded and he smiled for a third time, still hoping she would relax a little. "It's pretty. Were you kidnapped, too?"

She nodded again.

Leo glanced back at the other children who had spilt apart from each other awkwardly, and he frowned, wondering if Raj was causing trouble.

Turning back to the little red head he shrugged, "Hey, us too! But don't worry, my sister will find us. Back there are Rainbow, Felix and Raj. They're nice. Well, Raj isn't, but you can just ignore him. Do you want to come sit with us?"

Titania hesitated and Leo offered her a hand, "Come on, I promise, it's safe."

Leo was actually surprised when she carefully reached out to take his hand, letting him pull her to her feet and guide her back to the others. Felix noticed his return first and perked up, obviously glad to talk to him rather than the other two, and Leo nodding to them. "This is Titania."

She didn't look any of them in the eye, but Rainbow was not the least bit put off by her shy attitude and smiled, "Hi! I'm Rainbow. Nice to meet you."

Leo was glad at least someone else around here was cheerful. It wouldn't do them any good to get depressed. Hopeful Cuore wouldn't take long to find them.

* * *

It had taken Leo some time to coax everyone to sit together, but he was quite proud of himself when they'd gather into a circle in the middle of the room and started to talk more freely. Leo even managed to get them to laugh a few times.

"So, do we know why we got kidnapped?" he finally asked, directing the question at Raj and Rainbow, since they had been here the longest.

Raj shrugged, "I have no idea. The other kid that was here before you guys was from Mysidia. He thought it had something to do with magic."

Felix sniffed, "T-that makes sense….maybe. I-I have magic."

Leo nodded, "Me too."

Rainbow looked thoughtful, "My mom says my dad might have had magic, but she can't remember."

Leo frowned, "You don't know your dad?"

Rainbow shook her head, "No, it's just my mom and I."

Leo thought that was weird, but he didn't say anything. He didn't want to hurt his new friend's feelings. Her dad might have died, after all.

"How about you, Titania, do you have magic?" he asked the girl that was sitting abnormally close to him. She hesitated and then spoke up in that soft, whispery voice. "I-I….not really. It's…not the same as your magic."

"Oh." he said, shrugging.

Raj, always the downer, sighed loudly and crossed his arms, "Well, I don't have any magic, so why and am I here?"

Felix glanced at him, "I don't know, why are y-you?"

Raj glared at him, Rainbow giggled and offered, "Well, Raj you were in Troia, right? You told me that. Maybe…whoever grabbed me just got you, too. You know, because you were around?"

The boy sighed again, "Maybe that's why. I ran away from home."

"Why?" Leo asked, horrified by the thought. Why would anyone want to run away from home? He'd never do that.

Raj glared at him, "_Because,_ okay?"

Rainbow brushed at her hair; Titania mimicked the motion. "Where are you from, anyway?" the freckled girl asked.

He continued to scowl, "What does it matter?"

"Fabul, right?" Leo said, staring at him. "My sister has a friend from there."

"How'd you know?" Raj asked sharply.

Leo just made a face, "Your name…I mean, it's not like I've heard that anywhere else,"

Raj just sighed again. Leo rolled his eyes.

He was distracted when Titania shivered, and he glanced at her, "Hey, are you cold?"

She shook her head, which was obviously a lie, so he unclasped his cloak from around his shoulders and draped it over her, "There, now you won't be cold anymore."

Titania stared at him before she timidly asked, "Are you sure? Won't you be cold?"

"Nah, I'm fine." Leo said, shrugging.

Raj tapped his ear, "Hey, speak up, we can't hear you, weird girl."

Leo glared at him, "Don't call her that."

He hated it when people called others names, it wasn't nice. It was the same as when people insulted his sister.

Raj just went back to glaring holes in the walls.

Felix fiddled with the sleeve of his robes, "S-so, what do we do? I mean, what if…what if they take as away like that other k-kid?"

Rainbow shuddered, "I hope not…"

Leo shook his head, "I keep telling you, we'll be fine! Sissy will come find us, I promise."

He sensed the mood going downhill and so sat upright, "Hey, tell me something about your family, Felix. You never talk about them."

Everyone looked to the boy and he flinched, nervously adjusting his hat before he spoke. "W-well, they're…in Mysidia, and…they're…really normal. I-I don't know what to tell you."

Rainbow laughed, "Normal is good. I already told you it's just my mom and I. She said she's never having another child, but I wish she would because I really want a little brother or sister."

"Me too!" Leo exclaimed, "I keep asking everyone where they come from so I can get one, but…I don't think anyone knows, because they won't ever tell me."

Felix and Rainbow nodded in agreement and Raj tossed open his hands, "I keep telling you! You don't want siblings! They're annoying."

Leo made a face, "My older sister's not annoying. She's the best sister ever."

He turned away from the older boy before he could complain some more and asked Titania to tell them something about where she was from.

"Oh…" she swallowed and finally spoke up, "I-I'm…it's hard to explain. But, my mom is dead, I never got to meet her…"

That brought the mood back down, but the little girl continued, pulling her borrowed cloak around her shoulders, "My dad….isn't very nice. I don't ever get to see him. I was in Kaipo when these people took me…I was there trying to talk with my father, but he…I don't think he thinks I'm his daughter."

Rainbow looked upset, "Well that's not fair!"

"Yeah, that's dumb," Leo commented, annoyed on Titania's behalf. "I know my parents would never do that."

Before they could continue their discussion, a metal door from somewhere in the dark creaked open, flooding the room with bright light. The kids all winced from it and slowly stood, meeting a group of three head on.

"The red headed girl has the strongest aura," the woman in front of the group said, looking at a device similar to Jasmine's attached to her wrist. "Take her first. We only have a couple of hours before this shipment is due."

Leo stepped in front of Titania, glaring at the woman and the two taller men behind her. "Who are you? Why are we here?"

She smirked at him, "Aren't you brave," she commented. Her voice was mocking, and she glanced behind her at the two men with a scowl. "Well? I gave you an order."

They both jumped as if startled and slid past her into the room. Leo stood his ground, but he rapidly noticed he was the only one doing so. He was slightly annoyed by that.

"You're not taking her anywhere," he said.

The woman sighed, "Oh, for the love of…"

She pulled a disc-like device from her pocket and tossed it into the room. A high pitched squealing noise made them all cover their ears, even her two lackeys, and she snapped her fingers, "I said we don't have all day."

"Yes mistress Belladonna," they echoed, still wincing from the loud noise.

Leo was much too disoriented by the siren grating on his ears to help when they grabbed Titania and hauled her towards the door, but he did hear the woman continue to complain.

"I'm running low on those stunners!"

"But they have magic, what if they tried something?" one of her guards whined.

There was a smacking sound, "Idiot. They're kids, what are they going to do? Crystals, you're so worthless…come on."

The door shut behind them at the same moment the device fizzled out, sparking lightly, and then Leo passed out for the second time that day.

* * *

This time when Leo came too, he sat up abruptly, "What happened?"

Felix was up, and so was Raj, but Rainbow looked like she was still passed out.

"I think they took Titania…" Felix mumbled, looking around with large eyes.

Leo stood and confirmed this for himself before he bent down to pick up the disc that Belladonna woman had thrown. It was charred, but he turned it over and over regardless, wondering if there was any way to get it to work again.

"I told you they would take us away," Raj snapped.

Leo whirled around to glare at him, "Well why didn't you do anything?"

"Like what? You saw them throw that thing," he retorted.

Leo continued to glare at him, "You're a coward."

He wasn't expecting Raj to get up so fast from the floor and tackle him, and he wasn't expecting Rainbow and Felix to both squeak in surprise. Apparently the girl had woken up while they'd been talking.

Leo tried to shove Raj off of him, but he was heavier and just smacked his arms away.

"Don't you call me names!"

"But you _are_ a coward!" Leo said again, snarling. "You let them take our friend away!"

"She's not my friend!" Raj retorted, pushing on Leo's shoulders to keep him down.

Leo knew he'd never win a straight up fight against Raj; the boy was older, taller and stronger, but that also meant he was slower, and Leo's size disadvantage could easily become an advantage.

Leo managed to jam the heel of his palm into Raj's elbow joint, which caught him off guard enough for Leo to heave him off. "Get off of me," he grunted.

Raj tumbled to the side and Leo tackled him this time, shouting, "You're the worst friend ever!"

The scuffle probably would have lasted longer if Felix didn't surprise them all by yelling at the top of his lungs, "Stop fighting!"

Rainbow jumped, startled, and then stared at the scene with wide eyes while hugging herself. Leo felt instantly regretful for actually getting into a fight, while Raj just shoved him slightly to stand, muttering, "You don't get it, no one is coming for us. We're going to _die_."

Rainbow looked like she wanted to cry, and Felix shook his head, "Leo says his sister will find us. I trust Leo,"

Leo was trying to catch his breath but flashed his first ever friend a smile, amazed by his courage.

Rainbow sniffed back her tears, "Do you really think your sister can find us? We don't even know where we are…"

Leo nodded, "I know she can, but maybe we should try to get out of here before then. We need to find Titania. And I don't want anyone else to die."

They all stared at him and Leo stood, brushing off his clothing, "We just need a plan…"

Rainbow swallowed, "I'm willing to try. It's better than sitting here and doing nothing."

Felix nodded his agreement and Raj shrugged, "Sure, why not?"

Leo grinned, "Alright, that's the spirit! I mean, come on, we have magic, right? Even one of thos guys said that. There's no way we can lose. Let's just think this through."

He pocketed the 'stunner' for later; if nothing else, he could throw it at Raj's head if the older boy continued to be so annoying.

* * *

The first thing Leo decided what that not all of them should go to sleep at the same time. They had no way of knowing when Belladonna and her two helpers would be back, and he was afraid that if they all went to sleep, the people would come and take another one of them away.

Leo was worried about Titania's absence, but he was trying to remain positive. Felix and Rainbow were very emotional and obviously scared, and even though he felt the same, he would try his best to not let it show.

Raj wasn't speaking to him, but regardless, Leo told the other two to sleep and tried his best to keep his eyes open.

The room was cold, and in the darkness he found himself wanting nothing more than to curl up and sleep away his troubles. But no, he had to be strong for the others.

Leo rubbed his eyes, feeling drowsy and thirsty. He wished Cuore would hurry up and find them. It was strange here, and uncomfortable, and he was homesick.

But, he could at least feel safe enough, knowing Cuore was looking for him. She'd find them and take them home, and then everything would be alright.

Leo glanced to his right, noticing Raj was glaring at him.

He made a face back him, not amused and still annoyed about earlier. Leo never got into fights, he wanted to be friends with everyone. Finally he met someone he didn't care to be around.

Raj was still glaring so Leo finally asked, "What?"

The other boy shrugged and turned away and Leo sighed, too tired and hungry to care.

He absently picked at the edge of his tunic, mind wandering as he sagged back against the stony wall behind him. If he were home right now, he'd be in his bed, sleeping, or maybe it'd be daytime. If that were the case, he'd have classes, or get to spend the day outside.

His eyes felt so heavy…

"Leo?"

He was startled awake and glanced guiltily at Felix, who had crawled over to sit next to him.

"Sorry for falling asleep," he said, feeling badly.

Felix shrugged, "It's o-okay. You look really tired. I can't sleep."

"How come?" Leo asked, tipping his head to one side.

Felix fixed his hat, a habit Leo noticed he did quite often, before answering with another shrug.

"I-I just want to go home…" he muttered.

Leo nodded, "Me too."

"I-I've never been away from home before," Felix admitted, "But my parents and my teachers thought this exchange program would do me good…"

Leo pulled his knees to his chest, shivering, "You don't like it?"

"I-it's okay, but I'm not really good at magic, anyway."

Leo grinned at him, though it was strained. He just felt so sleepy.

"Felix, I bet your better than you think. Anyway, you just have to practice!" he said, hoping to sound encouraging. "That's what my dad always says. I bet my mom wasn't really good at magic at first, either. But she's really good at it now."

His friend gave him a funny look, "You always talk about your family…"

Leo nodded, "Yeah, because they're the best."

Before they could continue talking, Raj groaned and muttered just loud enough for them to hear, "Don't make me gag,"

"No one asked you," Leo muttered in reply, sulking. Raj was so gloomy that Leo just wanted to ignore him.

Felix poked Leo's shoulder, "H-hey, you need to sleep. I'll stay up now."

Leo hesitated, "You sure?"

"Y-yeah." his friend assured him, nodding.

Leo was grateful for the chance to lie down, even if the stone floor was bumpy and icy, and it didn't take long for him to drop off. But not before he thought; "_Come on, Cuore. You've got to find us before something bad happens_…"

* * *

Leo was awoken with an abrupt shake courtesy of Rainbow, who whispered, "Leo, they're back!"

He was up in an instant and saw that the other two were also standing, defensively staying away from the door as it opened.

Belladonna flung the metal door until it hit the wall with a loud 'clang' that made all the children jump.

She smirked at the reaction as one of the taller men dumped a familiar looking heap onto the floor. Before Leo could rush over, Rainbow tugged him back, obviously not thinking it was safe to move just yet.

Belladonna looked them over and then glanced at her helpers, "We should probably feed them. It's no good if their dead. Round something up. I have to arrange our next job."

She brushed her way past them and the two whispered for a moment before following after her, slamming the door closed and locking it with a resounding 'click'.

The moment the room was plunged into darkness, Rainbow released Leo and dashed over to the fallen mass and fell to her knees.

"Oh!" Rainbow squeaked.

Leo was hot on her heels and likewise knelt down, "Titania?"

The little girl moaned and her eyes fluttered, though she seemed half asleep.

"W-what'd they do to her?" Felix ask, sounding frightened.

Leo shook his head and watched as Rainbow gently rolled their friend into a more comfortable position.

No matter how injured or sick she seemed, the important thing was that she was alive.

"We need to get out of here," Leo whispered, swallowing, "I don't know how yet, but we need to get out of here."

Even if Cuore was looking for them, they didn't have time to wait. Titania was obviously ill somehow, and they could all end up like that sooner or later.

It only he were a little smarter and could come up with a plan…

* * *

It was a few hours later that those two men returned, tossing some clearly stale bread into the room and left once more. They hadn't brought any water, which would mean trouble later on, but at least they had something to eat.

The most obvious problem was that there wasn't enough to really go around. Leo had mentioned that they needed to save some for Titania, but Raj had just snapped back that it was her loss if she wasn't awake.

There had almost been a scuffle again but finally Leo just decided she could share his.

Still, he was feeling annoyed, and sick, and so huddled in one of the corners, not in the mood to talk with anyone. Rainbow and Felix were sitting together. Raj paced.

Leo heard Titania shift and glanced over, hoping she was finally going to wake up. It seemed like she'd been asleep for hours, and he was worried about her.

"Titania?" he whispered, leaning forward on his hands and knees.

She rolled over onto her side to stare at him, though he flinched at the look in her eyes. They were…glassy, unfocused and confused.

"L-Leo?" she whispered, her voice strained.

Despite his worry, he grinned and merely asked, "Are you feel better? You've been sleeping forever."

Titania blinked a couple of times, as if she couldn't remember who he was, before she tried to sit up. Leo winced when she collapsed back to the ground.

"I-I don't feel so good…" she mumbled sleepily.

Leo bit his lip and crawled over, whispering, "It's okay, you just rest. Are you hungry? I have some bread…"

It took some coaxing but she did finally nibble a little on the snack while he sat beside her, trying not to fall asleep.

"You're really nice."

Leo glanced down at her and she attempted a smile, though it looked pained. "My aunties always told me not to leave home because of all the bad people in the world. But, I wanted to meet my father,"

Tears welled up in her eyes and she shivered under his cloak, "But, then he said I wasn't his daughter, and these people took me, and I-I…"

She rubbed at her eyes, "I'm scared."

"Yeah, me too." Leo admitted.

Titania stared at him, "You?"

"Yeah. I miss my home, and my family." he shrugged, "I was worried when they took you. I'm sorry we couldn't stop them."

Titania smiled again, "It's okay. You tried. And, like I said you're really nice. I like you."

Leo grinned, "I like you too."

She coughed lightly and he went back to chewing his lip, "I think you should rest,"

Titania blinked at him and he rested a hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry, we're making a plan to get out of here."

Raj stopped pacing and glanced over, "Do you have a plan yet?"

Rainbow and Felix glanced up and Leo, suddenly realizing it was up to him, swallowing before nodding slowly.

"A little…but…" he trailed off and glanced at Titania. She stared back, but somehow he felt that she was encouraging him to continue so he took a deep breath. "Do you…remember anything about where they took you? Do you know where we are?"

Rainbow hugged her knees to her chest, "What…did they do to you?"

Titania took a moment to answer, and she seemed reluctant to talk about it. But maybe it was just her being tired, since her eyes kept drooping.

"I…don't know where they took me. Down a long hallway and into a really bright room. There was…something in the center, like a pattern. And…"

Her brow furrowed, "There were…pillars? They were metal, I think. They made me stand next to one and attached…something to my wrist…?"

She moved her arm and stared, as if looking for it now. Leo leaned closer and saw indents in her skin as if something had been there, but in low lighting, he couldn't really tell.

"Then what?" Raj prompted, finally coming to stand next to them. His voice wasn't quite so harsh as he asked, something Leo was grateful for. Titania didn't seem like she was quite alright just yet.

"I…felt strange, like something was…pulling all my energy out of me, all at once. I don't know…how to explain it. And then, I think I fell asleep…" she finished, seeming embarrassed.

Leo smiled at her and pat her shoulder, "It's okay, you don't have to tell us anything else. Just rest, okay?"

She nodded slowly and he could see she was already drifting off, still shivering despite his cloak wrapped tightly around her. She wasn't alright, and Leo was worried about her but also about them all.

They could all end up like her if enough time passed, of those people could come back and finish what they started with Titania.

"What are we going to do?" Felix asked, eyes wide.

Leo stared at the ground, not really sure, when Raj spoke up. "I think next time they come to take one of us, that's when we have to make our move. It's the only time the door is open."

Leo glanced up, "Good idea. There's only two or maybe three of them, right? There's five of us."

"And we have magic," Felix put in, adding sheepishly; "even if I only cast the wrong spell…"

Raj snorted, "Who cares? Magic is magic, right?"

Rainbow gave a shaky smile, "I want to go home."

"Me too." Leo agreed, nodding. "Raj is right."

The boy looked surprised at that, but Leo just continued, "All of us are going to get out of here. We just have to work together, okay?"

They all nodded and he stuffed his feelings of fear for the time being. He would continue to be optimistic for all their sakes.

Because until Cuore found them, they would have to do what they could to stay safe.

"_Come on, sissy…you have to find us_…"

* * *

**Author's Note:** Enter Leo's Fantastical Band of Magical Misfits!

Oh Leo, you are your parent's child!

I'm not really happy with this chapter, but writing solely from the POV of little kids is difficult. Especially when, on the other hand, we have Cuore who over analyzes everything and describes things to the extreme. Kids wouldn't notice things like that.

But, I did want to do a shorter chapter this time so that's good.

Not sure how updates will be the next week or so. I want to work on some one-shots and other projects as well, and then there's the universe-ending visit, so who knows what that will spark!


	6. Balance

**Hey everyone! I feel like I haven't updated this story in ages, but really it's only been about three weeks...**

**Anyway, I'm worried this chapter is too boring, but hopefully the snark 'spolsion will make up for it.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Cuore paced, careful not to slip on the frosty ground, and completed her tenth cycle since she'd arrived at the eastern side of the castle walls.

It seemed like she'd been waiting forever, but the number of patterns she'd paced told her otherwise. It wouldn't have been more than half an hour, at the most.

She was trying to stay calm, but more than once she'd wanted to just leave without waiting to hear what Kieran had to say.

Her Eidolons kept her mind occupied for the most part, keeping her thoughts from dwelling on where her brother was and what could be happening to him. With all the knowledge Cuore retained, it wasn't hard to come up with dark situations.

The sound of the rushing water from the little falls nearby did nothing to ease her worries, and its constant white noise effect was giving her frazzled mind a headache.

She pointed towards the water, "Whiteout."

Ice curled its fingers around the flowing water, halting it's movements, and she breathed a sigh of relief before beginning to pace again. It's not like the waterfalls being frozen would affect anything important. They were decorative and served no purpose. Besides, they'd freeze overnight anyway.

Her steps halted when she finally caught sight of Kieran walking towards her. Cuore frowned, "What took you so long?"

He gave her a funny look, obviously not appreciative of her claiming it had been very long. He still replied, however. "I had to ditch an overly concerned Ceodore."

Cuore gave him a once over and noted the fact he looked suspiciously travel-ready.

"_If he thinks he's coming with me, he's dead wrong_." she thought inwardly.

Kieran thankfully didn't waste any time before he sighed and addressed her, "Look, I am sorry Leo was taken."

Cuore said nothing and waited for him to continue.

He frowned and glanced off to the side, out towards the city, "The children going miss has so far been blamed on the Magicite. Cecil and Rosa told you that much, right?"

She nodded, "Yes, they explained the radical political group and its workings."

"I don't think it's them doing it, though." he admitted. "The only reason they've been blamed is because the kids that have been taken have magic. But, in times past whenever the Magicite make a move, they always take credit for it. They're arrogant, convinced that they are actually in the right. This doesn't have their signature all over it."

Cuore continued to pace, and he tracked her movements as he spoke. "Besides, the Magicite, from what little we know about them, aren't at a shortage for members. Why kidnap kids to begin with? What's the motive?"

"There better be some point to you explaining this to me," Cuore warned, "Because I don't care who took my brother and why, what I care about is finding him. Every second I delay will make it more difficult."

Kieran shot her an annoyed look, "Yes, I know, and…would you stop pacing?"

Cuore paused and he gestured to her, "Your making me nervous. Sit."

"I prefer to stand."

"Fine, then stand still." he snapped.

She scowled at him, but said nothing and resisted the urge to start walking again simply to annoy him. Kieran took a deep breath as if collecting his thoughts once more.

"The Magicite isn't the only criminal group wandering around, and the timing is what makes me think it isn't them." he explained.

Kieran leaned his elbows against the stone railings and looked out towards the now frozen waterfalls. He sighed before glancing over his shoulder her and commenting, "Do you promise to hear me out before you throw a fit?"

Cuore raised an eyebrow and he shook his head, "What I have to tell you is classified and you're going to be mad because no one told you, or half the world, about it."

She nodded slowly, "You have my word I will hear you out. But your right, in all likelihood I will be…upset."

Kieran smirked, "Well, at least you're honest…"

He returned his attention to the waterways, "How much do you know about elixirs?"

"…That they are items comprised of highly volatile ingredients designed to give the drinker a burst of energy. They are used to counteract magic deprivation and fatigue."

Kieran nodded, "Then you know more than most of the world. Elixirs are really quite dangerous. Just look at what they do; there's no way something like that wouldn't have side effects. It's why they're so rare. Without the precise mixture of ingredients to create a stable and effective dosage, they can be deadly. Too much of one thing, not enough of another…worse case is you drink it and die. Best case is it just makes you sick. We see the most of the middle section; addiction."

Cuore blinked, "Addiction to elixirs?"

"You can't cram that many simulants into a little bottle and assume drinking it won't be harmful." he countered.

She had to admit, it was logical. She walked over and stood next to him, "What about potions? And ethers?"

"Not as many…colorful ingredients. It's why they don't work as well." Kieran explained, glancing at her. "Mysidia first created the recipe for elixirs, and as such, they figured out what a good amount was to create a stable, less dangerous medicine. But still, you won't find elixirs laying around so common like potions and even ethers. It's because Mysidia has always regulated the drinks. They know what's safe, thus they always make them."

Cuore rested her hands on the railing, "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because, in a perfect world Mysidia would still always make them and keep track of them. But our world isn't perfect."

Kieran shook his head, "In the last decade or so, with all the trading and ferrying and such, elixirs have been imported to all sorts of places. You can find them in a lot more places then you used too. But they still all came from Mysidia. Until some started appearing that weren't. You couldn't validate where they came from, and their recipes were haphazard. That's where the addictions started. Unregulated elixirs."

Cuore made a face, puzzled, "Why would anyone want to create something that is harmful?"

"Gil," he replied, shrugging, "why else? Mysidia's elixirs may be safe, but their costly. People who throw some stuff together in an unregulated fashion save money, and the people who buy them do, too. It's all a game, Cuore. A game to get ahead, to make money and save time."

"At the expense of people's lives," she added.

Kieran nodded, "Exactly. This trade of toxic and illegal, unregulated elixirs is flooding the market, and creating an entire sub-section. It's gotten so bad that, more often than not, store owners don't even know they're not carrying official, safe elixirs. There's a black market of underground elixirs, and it's spread from Mysidia, to here, and even as far as Troia and Damcyan. Everywhere that sells elixirs is probably involved."

Cuore processed the information, still confused as to why someone would do any of this, but also, somehow, understanding it. People were greedy, and power hungry, and she'd noticed how lazy they could be as well.

Cutting corners was very common practice.

"And then there's the Scorpion Gang." Kieran sighed.

Cuore glanced at him, "The what?"

"The Scorpion Gang," he repeated, frowning, "They…well, where the Magicite is obsessed with magic, their obsessed with technology."

"Technology?" she said, tipping her head to one side, "Where are they getting it from? Your planet is hardly advanced."

Kieran stared at her with a strange expression on his face. It looked like he was amused and yet also angry. "Have you ever heard of the divine delta?"

"No."

"It's a section of land on Mysidia's peninsula." he explained. "They call it divine because apparently there's a stash of Lunarian tech there. Or, there was."

Cuore stared him and he nodded slowly, "Yeah, we were pretty pissed about that one, too. See, they didn't think they needed to tell us about that until the place was broken into and all the contents stolen."

"Fools." Cuore muttered, not as angry as she supposed she should be. It's not like Mysidia hadn't kept secrets before. They'd even contained an Eidolon and never told anyone.

"So, this Scorpion Gang broke in and took everything?" she asked.

Kieran nodded, "Yes. They are scavengers. They steal tech, modify it, use it to steal more, and then sell what they don't want. They haven't caused a lot of damage, but with the amount of items they've taken over the past few years, they could become one very easily."

"I still don't see what any of this has to do with my brother." Cuore complained, staring at him coolly.

He sighed, "I'm getting to that. I told you; you need all the information before you run off and get yourself tangled into this web of crime."

She hesitated, supposing he was right. Without knowing what she was stepping in to, it would make her job more difficult.

"Now, as you can probably guess, the Magicite, with their magic based operations, and the Scorpion Gang with their tech based plans, don't get along so well. Add that into the mix with this black market and underground trade and the three groups create some sort of warring triad that end up effecting everyone's lives."

Kieran frowned and narrowed his eyes, staring straight ahead, "Mysidia is driving Kain and I crazy because they don't really want our help, but they can't deny it, either. Not when so much of their problems had seeped into our kingdom. Troia can be just as annoying about it, insisting that they don't have this trouble when in fact they do. Damcyan…well, they don't really have the ability to deal with it."

"Fabul?" Cuore asked.

He shrugged, "We haven't noticed anything that far, but I can assume it will reach them at some point if it keeps going the way it is. Especially the black market portion."

"And Eblan?" she asked pointedly.

Kieran caught her tone and glared at her, replying just as haughtily, "Well, it must be nice out there on your own private little island."

Cuore glared back, "Yes, because nothing bad ever happens to us."

She pushed off the railing, "I will never understand why the world keeps so many things hidden!"

"What were we going to say?" he countered, likewise standing up straight, "That there's a bunch of groups running around that we can't stop, that we have no leads on that are, so far, staying away from you? Why would we do that?"

"We could have helped." she complained.

Kieran rolled his eyes and she glared at him, "Besides, now it's dragged us into it anyway! Leo is still missing, and I promised to hear you out but I've learned nothing that can help me find him!"

"I wasn't done yet, so hold off on that fit," he snapped.

Cuore resisted the urge to push him into the icy water. He was grating on her nerves, and even though truly he wasn't the one responsible for lying to the rest of the world about everything that was going on, she still wanted to take it out on him.

"_So many things would be solved if everyone were honest with each other_!" she fumed, "_I don't understand. It's incomprehensible._"

"_They don't want to seem weak, for one thing_," Cagnazzo commented.

"_That's also incomprehensible_."

She was pulled from further conversations by Kieran, who had crossed his arms and was speaking again, shortly.

"I don't think the Magicite took those kids, I think the black market did. Every time we've had a confirmed shipment of elixirs there's been a kidnapping in the same location only a few days before or after. It's too much of a coincidence."

"But why are they taking them?" Cuore asked, confused.

So far, none of the groups mentioned seemed to have any reason to gather kids with magic.

"I don't know," Kieran admitted, "There's not even a good theory I can tell you. We just don't know. Your brother and that other boy only make four confirmed kidnappings. There's two more that might be, but Troia isn't helpful and the leads on the one in Damcyan are…spotty."

Cuore hesitated and then gathered her courage to ask a question she needed to know, no matter how much she didn't want to hear the answer. "And…how many of these children have you found?"

"…None."

She bit her lip and nodded slowly, somehow expecting that answer. But hearing it, all the same, was ten times worse. If they knew all this and still couldn't find these children, then there wasn't much she could do.

But she also wouldn't give up.

"We also haven't found any of these kids dead," Kieran mentioned quietly. "They aren't killing them."

"No," Cuore retorted, hugging herself, "Their just doing something equally as awful to them!"

He hesitated, "Are you mad at us?"

She shook her head, "I'm too drained to be mad…"

And that much was true. Yes, she was sick of becoming tangled in other people's lies and disorder, but she was too worried, too sick in her heart, to care about what Baron and Mysidia had or hadn't told anyone. She didn't even care if Troia was being flighty, or if Damcyan was useless or if Fabul was lucky to have not been caught up yet. None of it matter but finding Leo.

Cuore rubbed her upper arms in a gesture meant to comfort instead of provide warmth, as she mused where she would go from here. Perhaps to Mysidia? She could _make_ them talk, if she needed too, though she hoped it wouldn't come to that.

She was startled when Kieran set his hands on the top of her shoulders. Her hands stilled their actions and she hesitated, not sure about the look on his face. He seemed genuinely worried, but she wasn't used that look being directed at her, from him.

"We'll find your brother," he whispered.

She closed her eyes, "You can't promise me that."

"I can promise you we'll try."

Cuore tipped her head to look up at him, "You're not coming with me,"

He frowned, and she braced herself for an argument though he countered her with pure logic. She was annoyed at how impressed she was over it.

"Where are you going to go to find Leo, then?" he asked.

"I…don't know. Mysidia, perhaps." she answered, trying to sound more sure then she felt.

Kieran just continued, undaunted, "And how are you going to get there? And once your there, who are you going to speak too? And if they can't help you, or if they don't know anything, then what?"

Cuore glared at him and he shrugged, "I have the names of the contacts and have met with them before. I have all the information we've gathered so far."

She heaved a sigh and Kieran gave her a once over, "You're not getting rid of me that easily, blade dancer. Two are better than one, and so far, you've burned your other bridges here. I'm all you've got left."

As much as she hated to admit it, nothing he said was false, and she couldn't come up with a suitable reason for why he shouldn't come with her that didn't sound frivolous.

"Fine." she begrudgingly muttered.

He nodded, as if the matter was settled, but Cuore just felt like she'd been tricked, somehow.

"_As long as it helps me find Leo, I don't care. I'll do whatever I have too_." she decided.

"_You aren't alone, Cuore_." Rubicante assured her, "_We will help you as well. Never forget to call us if you have need of us._"

"_Thank you. I'll try not to be tempted to sic one of you on Kieran_…" she thought. Truthfully, spending time with the dark hair young man seemed like a bad idea. She'd be surprised if, by the end of all this, they didn't spill each other's blood.

* * *

Despite Cuore accepting his help, Kieran still spent a good deal of time convincing her he knew best. She'd protested when he said to stay in Baron and gather information here.

Their argument hadn't been pretty, though she finally conceded the point.

Kieran found her attitude to be grating, and her constant confusion over everything was driving him crazy.

Still, he was trying his best to be patient. She was worried, and feeling helpless, and he knew she didn't trust him. Why would she?

Kieran led the way through the frozen town, knowing exactly where to start this little investigation. Without the need to gain permission before questioning someone this would go easier, he suspected.

Cuore may not trust him completely, but she believed him, and that was more than most people.

The buildings gradually became less impressive as they walked and Kieran finally glanced at Cuore and spoke. They had been walking in silence for the better part of fifteen minutes, but that was fine with him.

"Welcome to lowtown." he quipped.

Cuore looked around before her gaze finally rested on her feet, "I don't believe our elevation has changed,"

Kieran closed his eyes, "Not literally, Cuore. Its named after the fact that this is where you can find lowlifes."

"_Oh_," she said, drawing out the vowel. "It is a play on words, then?"

He sighed and ignored her, walking past a few piles of dirty snow. Despite her brilliance, Cuore was remarkably _stupid_.

He knew she was following him, although he was unable to hear her footfalls, and so didn't bother to even glance back at her as they continued their trek. It was good it was winter. It meant there wouldn't be hagglers around trying to sell off clearly stolen goods.

And it was good it was daylight, because Kieran did not want to explain to Cuore, who probably wouldn't get it, what people at night were trying to _sell_.

All in all, lowtown wasn't as bad as it could be, and as it had been, though he still would rather spend his time somewhere other than those six or seven blocks of the city.

They slid through a gap between two buildings and Kieran squinted into the alley beyond, looking for movement between the boxes. One of the buildings they had passed was a store, and they often stored empty crates and barrels out back that left the alleyway looking like a trash heap.

"Kytes?" Kieran called into the gloom.

There was a rustle and then a boy perked up from behind some barrels, "Yeah?"

His eyes widened, "Oh, hey Kieran!"

"Kytes, what are you doing back here?" he asked as the boy clambered up and over some boxes to stand in front of them. He brushed himself off, still grinning, as he replied. "Well, I was covering for Filo. She's not back yet and she was supposed to sort through this stuff and find out where we stored the silver hourglasses…"

"Did you find them?" Kieran asked.

Kytes's grin widened and he held up a bag, "Sure did!"

"Wait, Filo's not back from where?" he questioned, concerned.

The boy shrugged, "Some errand Migelo has her on across town. She's been gone all day. But, it goes right past the best bakers in town, so she's probably there wasting money."

"Hopefully she is using money," Kieran said, frowning.

Kytes nodded, "Don't you worry. Filo's been good since last time we saw you. Whatever you said made her go down the straight and narrow."

He was relieved to hear that, because he had received another demerit on his record for not arresting Filo the last time he caught her stealing. But she was too young to be constantly in jail for petty crimes, and he felt badly. So, instead, he made a different call and got her a decent job alongside Kytes. They were friends anyway, and he would keep an eye on her when Kieran couldn't.

The boy suddenly paused, realizing for the first time that they weren't alone, and he gave Cuore a cautious once over. "Who's she?"

Kytes was always a little distrusting about people he didn't know, but Kieran really hoped he didn't make the connection of just who Cuore resembled so much. It was probably a good thing Filo hadn't been here, he realized. The little girl had been closer to the actual attack then Kytes had.

"A friend," Kieran replied, glancing back at Cuore. She had a curious expression on her face, as if she was dying to ask questions concerning what was going on.

Kytes seemed too brightened at the word 'friend' and he stuck his free hand out. "I'm Kytes! Nice to meet you."

Cuore smiled and shook his hand despite the grimy residue on it from his search. "I'm Cuore. Likewise."

The boy nodded and then glanced at Kieran once more, "Hey, not that it's not good to see you, but…what are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you and Filo." Kieran explained. "I was hoping you two have heard something."

Kytes whistled, "Oh, you need us to tattle again, is that it?"

"I will buy you dessert," Kieran bribed, grinning.

The boy nodded happily, "Deal! Lemme go and give these to Migelo, first."

"And we'll head over. Meet us there with Filo?"

"Yup!"

Kieran watched the boy dash off and head inside the shop nearby, glad to see Kytes doing so well. It was difficult to move on from what had happened, especially for those that had lost everything.

But Kytes and Filo were smart and resourceful. Given a chance, they could make something of themselves, and it seemed as though they were making the best of their situation.

"Who is Kytes?" Cuore asked, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Kieran turned to face her with a slight shrug, "He's just someone I know." He chose his next words carefully, "Filo and he both lost their families during the attack. They were just kids back then."

"So were you," Cuore murmured.

He turned away and started walking, "I was old enough."

She said nothing, and he was glad to be moving. It gave him less time to think.

There was quite an age difference between them, and for that reason Kieran had attempted to get them safe jobs after he met them. There were too many orphans after the last time the world was in peril. There was no way other people could take care of them all.

Being as they did work in lowtown at the sundries shop, they heard from their boss and others around all sorts of gossip. This would not be the first time Kieran had asked them if they'd heard anything relating to a case.

As they left the worst of lowtown, Kieran led them to a row of bakeries, which was probably where Filo was. Kytes wasn't kidding when he said she wasted most of her hard earned money there. Sweets were her weakness and always had been.

Cuore spoke up once more, this time with a flat, practical tone that sounded forced. "Perhaps I should wait outside while you speak with the children."

Kieran paused and glanced over his shoulder, "Why?"

"If what you say is true, and they lost their families in the attack, then I doubt seeing me would be kind to them." she explained coolly.

He hesitated and she shrugged, "It's not a problem, Kieran. I will wait here."

Truth be told, it would be better for her to wait outside, but that didn't mean he felt good about it. But Cuore seemed fine, and she took up position leaning against one of the buildings so he nodded at her and left her there.

He entered the least seedy of the shops to wait for his little spies, hoping they did in fact know something.

* * *

Cuore had seen Kytes dragging a brown haired girl with him into the shop less than an hour ago, and she assumed they were busy munching on cakes and cookies and hopefully giving useful information.

It seemed logical that they were talk with children about missing children. It made sense to seek out similar viewpoints since all other avenues were dead.

Cuore was trying her best not to panic, and to give this current plan of action time to unfold. It wasn't as if she had any other ideas.

Still, sitting idle left her too much time to think, and time to think left her mind time to concoct horrid scenes of possible fates of her brother. Or worse still, showed her past scenes of darkness.

Her gaze traveled along the buildings and the ground and the sky, careful not to linger on any one thing too long. If she did, she might zone out, and if that happened, she'd start to live through repressed memories.

"_It wasn't your fault_."

Cuore smiled sadly at Anima's soft voice, "_No, no it wasn't, but that doesn't mean I want to see it again._"

"_I understand_." the Eidolon woman told her.

Cuore nodded, "_I know you do_."

"_You must have faith, dear Cuore. Faith in your abilities to find Leo and also in his strength. Your brother is clever, and he is charming. Wherever he goes, he will find allies_." Anima assured her. Her voice was soothing, despite her frightening appearance, and Cuore found herself smiling.

"_Thank you_."

There was a chime from a bell that made Cuore glance up, locking gazes with Kytes who had just left the bakery. He flashed her a smile and hopped down the steps and bounced around snow drifts to meet her.

Cuore took the time to study him, concluding that he was now the age Kieran had been when the attack had happened. How young was he, then, when he'd lost his family?

"_Not lost_," she corrected herself, "_When his family was _stolen."

Because that was what it was. A theft.

Kytes stopped in front of her and held out a cookie. "Here."

Cuore blinked at it and he grinned, "Kieran's not so good at making friends. I told him to get you something but, well, he's just weird like that. So, you can have one of mine."

She smiled slowly and took his offering hesitantly, "Thank you."

"Sure!" he said, rocking back and forth on his toes. "They're almost done in there. Filo's just writing something down. I hope it helps you find your brother."

Cuore blinked at him, not sure if she should be annoyed Kieran told that much of her story to these children. But then she decided that it didn't matter. They were kind to help at all, and she trusted that they had the best of intensions.

"You could've come inside, you know." Kytes told her. "I would have been fine with it and Filo would have gotten over it. She always does."

"Over what?" Cuore asked, puzzled.

The boy blinked and seemed to pause for a moment before shrugging, "That you're a Maenad."

She stiffened, somewhat startled that he called her by that name so causally.

Kytes peered up at her, "That is what you are, right?" He continued when he noticed her discomfort with the conversation and shook his head, "Don't worry, Kieran didn't say anything. You just look like her. The hair and everything."

Cuore swallowed, "Aren't you…" she trailed off, unsure what she wanted to ask.

"Afraid? Mad?" Kytes asked, starting to chew on a stick of licorice, "Nah. You seem okay. Kieran trusts you, anyway."

She blinked, "You look up to him,"

"Sure do!" Kytes said, grinning and still munching on his sweet treat. "People always talk down to kids, you know? Kieran's not like that. He's pretty cool."

"I wasn't aware Kieran talked at all," Cuore muttered sarcastically.

Much to her surprise, the boy laughed and nodded, "Yeah, not much, but it's okay. He says something when it's important."

Kytes shrugged, "Anyway, I've gotta get back to Migelo's. I just wanted to let you know it's okay. That you're a Maenad, I mean. And I hope you find your brother."

Cuore smiled slowly, "Thank you Kytes."

He was off with a nod and a wave and she watched him leave, confused.

He hadn't said anything that remarkable, and yet the sheer simplicity of his words meant the world to her. If only more people could be like children and speak plainly, then perhaps the world would be a better place.

Cuore couldn't deny that she felt lighter hearing that at least one person who had lost something to her Maenad sisters didn't begrudge her.

There were days when she tired of being judged for crimes she didn't commit.

True to Kytes's word, Filo left and headed off and Kieran rejoined her a few minutes later, waving a piece of paper in the air. "I know where we can go next. Filo heard some rumors about black market goods going through a local tavern down in lowtown."

Cuore shrugged, "I will defer to your judgments in these matters."

That seemed to catch him off guard, and he gave her a funny look. Cuore just stared back and bit into her cookie.

At his inquiring look she grinned, "Kytes."

"That was nice of him." Kieran commented.

Cuore shrugged, "Yes, it was."

They started walking and she couldn't help but stifle a laugh at his expense.

* * *

It was darkening into evening as they returned to lowtown and once more, Kieran led the way. Filo had been helpful in mentioning that, although all anyone knew was rumors, they knew kids were going missing.

All the kids in the city were wary of everything, recently, because even if some of the adults had passed it off as nothing, kids weren't stupid.

At least, that's how Filo had put it.

Kieran grinned slightly, "_Direct as always_,"

She had mentioned a certain tavern in the city as a good place to look for clues, since there had been rumors and whisperings of black market meetings taking place there. Kieran was familiar with the one she mentioned.

They had recently been investigated for running underground chocobo races.

The night was cold, and a sharp wind had kicked up that luckily kept most of the colorful creatures of the night away as they picked their way through frozen streets. Once they reached their destination, the sign above the door swung back and forth with an ominous creak.

Cuore stared at the sign, then the building, and then glanced at him with disgust written all over her face.

"What is our location?" she asked.

Kieran didn't really blame her revulsion and wasn't fond of this excursion himself, but he nevertheless remained levelheaded as he answered her question.

"The greasy flan. It's a local tavern and casino." he explained, shrugging.

Cuore made a face, "Charming."

"What," he teased, trying to keep the mood light, "your cousin doesn't drag you out bar hopping with her?"

"I'm fairly certain she only does that with your mentor," she shot back.

He nodded, "True story."

Kieran went to open the door but Cuore caught his arm and forestalled him, "Wait for a moment."

He looked over his shoulder at her, confused, and she frowned thoughtfully before speaking. "You said that my brother being taken was not my fault,"

He nodded and she sighed, continuing. "If that is the case, then revealing my identity while searching for him may be foolish. If whoever took him were to find out exactly who it was they held captive, it might escalate the situation."

Kieran had to admire her logic on this one and let his hand slid off the doorknob, turning to face her and crossing his arms. "What did you have in mind?"

Cuore blinked at him, "An alias. At least while we are questioning people."

"Alright, so what should I call you?" he asked, hoping she already had something in mind.

She apparently didn't and hesitated briefly before nodding once and declaring, "Dagger."

Kieran stared at her, unimpressed. "Please tell me you aren't serious."

She scowled at him and he shook his head, "I'm not calling you that."

"Why not?"

"It sounds ridiculous," he retorted.

Her expression shifted to one he was used to seeing. Gone was the worried elder sister of a kidnapped brother, or the overly cautious Maenad who was insecure.

Instead she put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at him.

"What would you suggest, then? Blade dancer?" she complained.

Kieran held up his hands, "It's better than _Dagger_!"

"How so?" she snapped.

He gave her a funny look, "Well, for one, it makes sense. You don't even _use_ daggers, Cuore."

"It's an alias!" Cuore countered, "It doesn't have to make sense."

"Then I'll call you Poppy and be done with it," he commented tartly.

She glared at him, "Kieran,"

"Cuore," he replied in a similar tone.

They held the stalemate for a moment before she just huffed, "Just, call me Dagger."

Kieran sighed, "Fine, whatever. Let me do the talking in here, okay?"

"Fine." she muttered.

Before their argument could continue, Kieran yanked the door to the building open with more force then was really necessary and entered without checking to see if Cuore was following him.

As soon as they stepped over the threshold, they were assaulted by noise, shouting, and the strong smell of alcohol. Cuore instantly recoiled, and the action was so sharp Kieran noticed it even though she had entered behind him.

He glanced at her in time to see her brush at her hair nervously, eyes wide as she took everything in. She usually did this, he had noticed. Whenever she was somewhere new, or somewhere overwhelming, she would become unfocused.

He returned his attention to the tavern and scanned the bar area first, not seeing anyone remotely helpful, and then turned his attention to the gambling section.

With a grinned he spotted exactly who he wanted to talk too.

Turning back to Cuore, he saw she was still uncomfortable with their location, if the way she had shrunk into herself was any indication.

Kieran gently took hold of her arm and pulled her closer, mentioning as they begin to descend the stairs, "Stay close, _Dagger,_"

She glared at the way he said her chosen alias, but it got her mind off the chaos of the room, so he counted it as a victory.

They dodged through the most crowded sections of the room, past drunken idiots singing, past a few riotous tables of strange card games, and swirled around one gambling device Kieran couldn't remember the name of.

Cuore occasional peeked around people as they passed by these objects, as if she was curious, but Kieran kept her moving, for both their sakes. Alias or not, she _would_ attract attention.

They reached the rounded table at the same time as a scantily clad waitress, and Kieran finally released Cuore's arm in the hopes she wouldn't wander off while he spoke with the man sitting alone at the table.

He was in the middle of ordering something complex but trailed off when he saw Kieran smirking at him.

"Oh no," the man groaned, "Not you again."

Kieran grinned at him and rested his hands on the top of an unoccupied chair, "Jules! How are you?"

The man scowled and slumped in his seat, "What do you want now?"

"I want to ask you something," Kieran replied, leveling an annoyed look at him.

Jules snorted, "Like always!" he paused and then looked around before sitting upright. "Wait, where's Kain? You two usually come and bug me together."

Kieran held up his hands, "Just me tonight! Sorry to disappoint,"

Jules gave him a once over and then smirked, "And yet…you aren't in uniform. I'm not stupid, boy." He leaned back, his posture relaxed this time, and grinned, "No go, my friend. You can't convince me to talk this time! You're not here _officially_, are you?"

Kieran glared at him, "Does it matter? I can still beat your face in,"

"Ha! Try it!"

The waitress had been tapping her foot impatiently and finally she sighed, "Hey, you going to order, or what?"

Jules glanced at her and then shook his head, "Nah, doll, get someone to throw him out. He's bothering me."

Kieran rolled his eyes, "You can't throw me out if I'm here as a customer."

"Like hell you are."

"I am too," Kieran replied with a smirk, "I will have a water."

The waitress rolled her eyes, "Whatever…"

She wandered off, muttering under her breath and Kieran yanked the chair out so he could sit down. It prompted another groan from Jules.

"Hey, hey, I did _not_ say you could sit here!"

"Worried someone might see us talking?" he asked.

The man nodded, "That's exactly what I'm worried about! I'm no snitch."

Kieran snorted and cross his arms, "You are too and everybody knows it."

"You can't sit here."

"Make me move."

Jules hesitated.

Kieran grinned, knowing he had the man over a barrel, so to speak. The man was involved in nearly every criminal incident that ever happened, and he was very easy to ply with incentive to squeal on whoever else was involved.

Whether they had to bribe him or just threaten, he always caved.

It just took time.

Jules swallowed and Kieran shrugged, "At least hear what I have to say before you decide to refuse."

Jules hesitated and then grumbled a; "Fine" under his breath.

"Alright, here's the deal. I know you're involved in the black market." Kieran began, not bothering with pretenses. "I suspect you might one of their runners, I don't think they'd trust you with much else. You probably sample the goods, too."

"That was one time!" Jules interrupted as if he needed to clear his name of something.

Kieran ignored his outburst. "What I need to know is about these people that have gone missing recently."

Jules's eyes widened, "Whoa, hey now, I don't know nothing about that."

Kieran frowned at him, "Really," he stated sarcastically. "I find that hard to believe."

"It's the honest truth!" the other man insisted. "I might be, and I say _might be_, involved with those elixirs and some illegal weapons trade, but I wouldn't know anything about those kids!"

"It's good to know you draw your moral lines somewhere," Kieran snapped. He sat up and leaned forward, "If you know something, you better tell me."

"Or what?" Jules asked with a snort. "You're here without your much scarier mentor, without your armor which leads me to believe this isn't official business you're talking, and with nothing to bribe me with? Who do you think I am?"

Kieran narrowed his eyes, "I think you're a coward."

Jules shrugged and finally happened to notice Cuore, who had been thankfully quiet the whole exchange.

"Who's she?"

Cuore blinked at him and Kieran frowned, "A friend."

"…Yeah, right." Jules said, giving her a once over. "Since when do you have friends like _that_?"

Kieran glared at him, but Cuore stepped from behind his chair and wandered over to slide into her own, much closer to Jules then Kieran would ever sit.

She spoke calmly, directly, and in a surprisingly soft tone of voice. "You can call me Dagger. I'm looking for my brother, and Kieran is helping me."

"Dagger, huh? That's a fake name if I ever heard one." Jules commented.

She shrugged, "I won't deny that." Cuore placed her hands flat on the table in front of her and angled her body towards Jules in a non-threatening way. It was a contrast to Kieran's much more straight approach and he suddenly realized she was doing it on purpose.

Cuore may have been ignorant of human behavior, and she may have been dense, but she did observe. She was quick to catch on, and Kieran wondered if this was one such time.

Jules eyed her, and she continued to talk in a soft tone of voice. "My brother is one of the children missing. I need to find him. If you know anything, please tell me."

"I don't work for free, sweetheart,"

She tipped her head to one side, "No, I don't suppose you would. What can I offer you, then?"

Jules seemed to think about this and Kieran shrugged, "Don't waste anything on him. He probably is right and doesn't know anything. He's a runner, Dagger. That means he doesn't do anything important."

If Kieran didn't know her better, he would have thought that puzzled look on her face was genuine. But he'd seen her be truly clueless, and that wasn't it.

"Oh?" Cuore said, blinking. "Then, we would need to talk with someone higher up, you mean."

Kieran nodded, "Exactly. Jules is good for a lot of stuff, but nothing this important."

The man glared at him, "If you think I don't know what you're trying to do, then you're dead wrong. What is this, interrogation for dummies?"

Cuore grinned and stood, "No, because you just told me everything I needed to know."

"…What?" the man said, startled.

Kieran, too, glanced at her in surprise.

She rolled her eyes and pointed at him, rattling off a list; "When we arrived you were ordering a rather complex version of Madhu, which is a drink exclusive to some of the finer rings of Mysidia. The fact that you knew to order it so well leads me to believe that you have been to Mysidia recently. Also, Kieran stated that he wanted to know about missing people, you added the word kids into the mix. We never said anything about them. Many people believe the Magicite is responsible for these kidnappings, and yet you said you did sample the goods once. Obviously we were right in assuming that the black market and the kidnappings were related."

She smiled sweetly and leaned forward, tapping something that was sticking out of his coat pocket, "And, I couldn't get a good look at this without getting closer to you. It's a ticket for an event entitled 'The Crusaders Challenge'."

Jules stared at wide eyed, and Kieran was likewise impressed as she stood up straight and flashed the man a brilliant smile, "I think I know where to go to get my questions answered. I thank you, Jules, for your assistance."

Cuore turned with a toss of her teal hair and strode towards the exit as if the chaos around her was suddenly not a problem anymore.

Kieran hopped to his feet and Jules continued to stare after the Maenad. "What…just happened?"

"You were outsmarted." Kieran informed him, turning to leave. "You'd think you'd be used to it by now…"

They said nothing until they exited the building and were well on their way out of lowtown, and finally Kieran glanced at her.

"You could have told me you were going that," he complained.

Cuore grinned at him, "You were keeping him occupied for me."

"Why didn't you just read his mind?" Kieran asked, realizing that they could have gotten their answer much sooner.

She flinched and looked away, "I don't care who it is or for what reason; I will never use my telepathy on someone."

They walked on in silence for a few moments and finally Cuore caught his eye and asked, "How do you and Kain get anything done? You're both so…direct."

"It seems to work fine," he said with a shrug.

She frowned, but said nothing.

Kieran glanced around, making sure there weren't any unwanted listeners before speaking up. "So, we should go to Mysidia?"

Cuore nodded, "It seems that way."

"That just leaves how," he commented.

She shook her head, "I hadn't thought that far ahead."

"The Serpent's Road would be the easiest, but…neither of us has clearance to use it. A boat would be an option, but it would take too much time. Airships are out for obvious reasons."

Cuore chewed on her lip, "We could…use the device without authorization."

Kieran stopped walking and stared at her until she fidgeted. "You mean, sneak in and use it illegally, right?"

Cuore's gaze wandered, "I…would not have put it that way, but yes, you are correct."

"I would not have pegged you for that kind of person," he said, amused.

She gave him a puzzled look, "You clearly don't know me very well, cloud biter."

They started to walk again and Kieran mused over what had just happened, both in regards to the tavern and just now. Cuore was far more devious then he gave her credit for.

Then again, he supposed he really shouldn't be that surprised.

"So," he said, drawing her attention, "How will we get in? It's guarded all hours of the day, and there's no way that Mysidia will allow the transfer on their end without approval."

Cuore shook her head, "I can override the safety measures, and the best way to sneak in would be in through the underground passageway you have from the castle's basement to it."

Kieran stopped dead in his tracks and stared at her. It took her a few steps to realize he had stopped again and she turned around in confusion.

"How…did you know about the new tunnel?" he asked, disconcerted.

Cuore made a face, "I'm me."

He scowled at her, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Take it however you like," she retorted, turning around. "Let's go. We should travel as quickly as we can."

Kieran hesitated before catching up with her and commenting, "I suppose you know a good way to sneak into the castle, as well? Perhaps the waterways?"

"Kain made sure that way was impassable now, Izayoi tells me. Since he used that last time." Cuore commented matter-of-factly.

Kieran glared at her, "Oh, so now Izayoi knows how to sneak into our castle, too?"

"Your defenses are weak by sea, correct?" Cuore asked, ignoring his question. "We should use the port-side entrance to gain access to the main area of the castle. From there we can use the side passages to sneak into the basement and from there, the new tunnel to the Phen'Doe Mar."

Kieran wrinkled his nose at the unfamiliar word, "The….what?"

"Phen'Doe Mar?" Cuore repeated. "Sorry, that's the Lunarian's wore for the matter transport device."

They headed towards the castle and Kieran couldn't help but feel uncomfortable with the fact that she knew how to get into every off-limits section of their castle. She spewed this knowledge out as if it were second nature to her.

"_If she wanted to take us down, she could_." he realized, not entirely pleased with the thought.

He shouldn't be concerned over her intensions, but it was still unnerving.

"I'm not sure I like how easy you make this sound," Kieran finally mentioned.

Cuore didn't bother looking at him, "It pays to know these things."

"For what purpose?" he retorted, reaching out to grab her arm and stall her movements. "Don't you trust us?"

Cuore sighed and looked back at him, "Yes, I do. I may have this knowledge, Kieran, but have I ever done anything with it to cause Baron harm?"

"No, but I still don't like that you know. It's an unfair advantage." he complained.

She pursed her lips, "And yet your kingdom is the only one with airships. Is that not also unfair?"

He paused, not sure how to argue with her on that point. Finally he frowned, "Unarmed airships,"

"I have seen your blueprints." she countered, hands on her hips.

Kieran glared at her, but he wasn't really that mad. She made a valid point.

Cuore finally sighed and dropped her arms to her side, "I don't wish to argue with you. I'm on edge because of Leo's disappearance. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't even suggest sneaking into the castle, or using the Phen'Doe Mar without approval."

Her words dispelled a good portion of the unease building at her extreme knowledge of things she shouldn't know.

"I get it," Kieran mumbled, shrugging. "I don't want to fight either."

She smiled slightly at him, "A truce for now, then?"

"I didn't realize we were warring," he retorted.

She laughed softly, and the sound rid him of any lingering distrust or agitation about the topic they had just discussed.

Cuore adjusted the sash around her hips, "It occurs to me to ask you how you feel about sneaking in and using the device. If we get caught, you might get in trouble."

He shrugged, "I'm used to it. Besides, how many other chances to sneak into the castle will I get?"

Cuore grinned at him, apparently approving of his comment, and he just changed their direction, mentioning, "And you were right. We aren't really that great by sea. Which is funny, seeing as we live on the ocean."

Cuore followed after him, quick and quiet save for her voice which she kept even as they moved. "That is quite odd to me,"

He nodded, "And then there's the pirates,"

"We had those too!" she said, seemingly glad they shared something in common.

Kieran just latched onto the tense of her sentence. "Wait, had? What'd you do to get rid of them?"

He wanted to know if it was something they could copy. The pirates were annoyances that no one could really do anything about, as far as he knew. They weren't as much trouble as the black market or the Magicite, but they still existed.

Cuore shrugged as she slipped through a tight passageway, "Well, there wasn't much profit to be had when their ships kept getting destroyed by Leviathan."

Kieran stared at her as she went to work on a lock that hung from an imposing iron gate, blocking the way to the harbor area.

"You sent Leviathan after them?"

She glanced over her shoulder at him, "Well, no, I didn't. Mom did."

Kieran glared at her back, "So they came here, thanks a lot."

Cuore shrugged and murmured something before the lock snapped in two from a spell.

At his look she grinned sheepishly, "I've never been good with picking them."

He decided against saying anything and just led the way through the now opened gate. The port area was empty this time of night, and even the guards that they had posted were few and far between. Kieran and Cuore easily ran, unhindered, across the length of the port and used one of the side access points to enter the castle with another assists from Cuore's magic to break a few more locks.

Once they were inside the castle, Cuore took the lead, giving him a quick look with her index finger pressed against her lips.

Kieran shot her an annoyed look in return.

As if he didn't know to be quiet.

They took their time, and stayed on the outer fringes of the castle, moving mostly by way of courtyard and servant's passages before they finally snuck into the basement. The guards they saw were either half sleep or daft and never even glanced their way as they continued along their way.

Kieran had to admit that Cuore was skilled at a great many things. And what worried him was that it was all things that could be used for less than admirable goals.

If she really wanted too, she could rule the world.

But her namesake kept her from that. Her heart was what drove her actions just as much as her mind did, and it was that balance between the two that kept her from becoming the monster the other Maenads had been.

Cuore went to take a turn and Kieran yanked her back around the column, having known a guard would be walking by based on the time of night. He'd had that circuit of duty before.

"Shh," he whispered, pushing her back against the wall. They waited in tense silence as the guard wandered by and then down an adjust hallway.

"Alright, move now. But there'll be someone right at the passageway to the lower levels." he warned.

Cuore appeared thoughtful, "Then how do we get past them?"

"I don't know," he retorted. "You're the ninja and the Maenad."

She glared at him, obviously not amused.

Kieran nodded her from their hiding spot and light-stepped down the stairs, two at a time, before he reached the bottom and squinted into the darkened room beyond. Cuore paused next to him, the fabric of her shirt brushing against his as she stared into the darkness as well.

"Hold one moment," she whispered.

Before he could ask her what she intended on doing, she was gone from his side and he frowned.

It took a few heartbeats before she reappeared, "All clear."

"What did you do?" he asked, following her towards the door they needed.

"Don't worry. She's only knocked out. The worst that will happen is someone will find her sleeping and she'll get fired." Cuore explained.

He rolled his eyes, "Do I want to know how you knocked her out?"

"The old fashion way," she commented, blasting the lock off again. "But she didn't see me, so we're good to go."

They entered the tunnel and Kieran shivered, forgetting how cold it was down in this section.

"Inferno."

The tunnel burst into light and he jumped, startled, as all the torches along the wall flickered with uneasy light.

Cuore's magic was still unsettling to him, and he wished she would warn him when she was about to do something like that. But to her, he knew it was second nature.

They walked at a steady pace, knowing there were no guards until they actually made it to the Serpent's Road.

To pass the time, Kieran cleared his throat and spoke up, "So, tell me about…the Phen'Doe…Mar."

Cuore seemed to take a moment to focus on what he was saying and then she shook her head, making him wonder what was wrong with her.

At his strange look, she shrugged, "I was speaking to my Eidolons."

She looked ahead, "What would you like to know?"

"…Why they made it, for one." he said.

Cuore nodded, "They wanted instantaneous travel from one point to another on your planet."

"What, airships weren't good enough?" he asked, hand skimming the smooth texture of the newly finish tunnel.

"They had not yet decided to gift airships to this world when they built the Phen'Doe Mar." she mentioned.

Kieran hesitated and then asked one more question as the end came into sight, "What does…Phen'Doe Mar translate too?"

Cuore looked over her shoulder, "Like all Lunarian, it's not a direct translation. However, the best I can offer is…matter displacement channel."

He made a face, "Displacement. Sounds fun."

Cuore grinned and opened the door slowly, taking a look on the other side, obviously for guards, before she beckoned him closer.

"I'm not certain we can get past him without being seen," she mentioned, voice low.

Kieran frowned, "Jansen."

"You know him?"

He nodded, "Yes, he's one of my roommates. Obnoxious man."

"What do you suggest?" she asked.

Kieran resisted the urge to tell her that she had more skills then he did, and instead sighed, "Don't you have some spell to put him to sleep or something?"

"I am not a black mage," Cuore said as if it were obvious.

"_Mages_." he thought, annoyed. Out loud, he just sighed again, "Fine, what about one of your Eidolons?"

Cuore shook her head, "They would not be helpful if we are trying to remain unseen."

"Well, looks like I'll distract him and you can smack him or something." Kieran said.

Cuore stared at him and he blinked, "What?"

"I'm…not certain if you are being sarcastic or not." she informed him.

He grinned, "I'm serious."

"Oh." she said, shifting so he could pass by her, "Alright, then."

Kieran tried not to chuckle at her confused expression and just entered the room, evidently startling poor Jansen.

"Crystals, where do you just come from?" Jansen said, hand over his heart. "Why are you stalking around in the dark? It's way past midnight, Kieran."

Kieran pointed the device, "I was actually hoping to use that,"

"…You're joking, right?" Jansen said, returning to his stance of leaning against the wall lazily. "You aren't cleared for that, and why, anyway?"

He paused, "It's…kind of a long story."

Jansen stared at him, "I'm not going anywhere. I've got the most boring post ever, so please, humor me."

The man suddenly swayed and then collapsed in a less then graceful heap. Kieran felt slightly guilty that the sight made him happy.

Cuore stepped gingerly over his body with a whispered, "Sorry."

"What…did you do?" Kieran asked, giving her a weird look.

She knelt to examine the device, answering distractedly, "There's a grouping of nerves on a person's spinal column that if manipulated properly can render them unconscious for about an hour. It doesn't always work…"

He just stared at her before shaking himself free of his constant surprise at the odd things she knew.

He needed to stop asking these things.

Cuore stood and wandered around one of the metal pillars before kneeling and prying a panel off of one.

Intrigued, Kieran knelt beside her and looked at the complex inners of the machine. It wasn't a mess of wires or metallic bolts like he'd seen before. It was bright, and set up in a grid formation with different color crystal shards placed inside.

Cuore must have noticed his interest because she pointed at a few key places and spoke, "This crystal here relays the matter stream to the other device, and this one here powers the whole operation."

He nodded and watched as she pulled a few of the cylindrical shards out, looked them over, and then replaced them save for one. That one she turned over in her fingers and removed smaller, transparent crystalline strips from. These were flat, and fit into the crystal to form the overall structure.

"So…it's a crystal within a crystal?" Kieran asked, watching her work.

Cuore nodded, continuing to rearrange the shards. "These larger crystals are like…the main drives on an airship. The smaller components I'm working with here are like all the nuts and bolts that hold the overall ship together."

He rocked back on his heels as she inserted the crystal tube again, replacing the panel and then tapping a few controls on the lit up panel that he already knew control their destination.

"How do you know how to do that?"

She stopped working and glanced at him, expression unreadable.

"I…have Zeromus's memories. I thought everyone knew." she explained, quickly turning back to the panel to start the sequence.

Kieran hadn't known that, but he's wondered with all her knowledge and apparent usage of Lunarian. Cuore seemed unnerved to talk about it, so he said nothing and merely stood along with her.

"I hate this damn thing," he complained.

Cuore flash him a grin as she dashed to stand in the middle of the crest, "Don't worry, this time around should be easier. I readjusted the parameters to the human genome."

Kieran made a face, "What were they set to before?"

"Lunarian, of course." she replied. "Now, be prepared for an odd welcome on the other side. I used an override to get us there, but Mysidia might be unhappy."

Kieran sighed, not really surprised, but not looking forward to their meetings in Mysidia.

"At least this time around I won't get sick."

At least, he hoped so.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Well, there you have! The adventure has started! Hopefully this chapter wasn't too boring. I promise the next one will have some action in it.

Also, for those of you keeping track, Mythweaver and I have now met in REAL LIFE! There was much brainstorming and ideas and you've probably seen some of them pop up around. More are coming. And, despite the prediction, the world didn't end.

This chapter contained all sorts of references to other Final Fantasy games. I don't even know if I could list them all. I couldn't resist.

Also, the names of Kieran's roommates are a reference to Star Wars. (Since, you know, Biggs and Wedge always appear in FF games?) I've been told I misspelled their names, which, I honestly don't know for sure since my brother is more of a Star Wars nut then I am, but for everyone still wondering, that's where the names came from. Mostly using those was less to be clever and more to be lazy so I didn't have to come up with any names.

I know Cuore seems unstoppable in this chapter, but she sort of would be. With all the information she knows, she could easily 'rule the world' so to speak. But, on the flip side, she is, of course, a confused little emotional teen. It's all about balance.

Anyway, hopefully I'll get working on the next chapter and stay tuned for some more one-shots, too!

(In fact, check my boring profile. I updated the list of 'up-coming' fics!)


	7. Traces

**Hey everyone! Here's the next chapter!**

**I originally thought this would actually have a lot more in it, but as I was writing, it was already getting so long that I had to move some of the scenes to the next chapter.**

**Hope you'll still enjoy!**

* * *

The magical shimmer associated with the Serpent's Road faded with a light buzzing sound and Cuore took a moment to look around before hopping off the slightly raised platform.

There was no one in sight, which she found odd, but instead of moving on ahead she turned to check on Kieran, who was pausing at the device.

"Are you alright?" she asked, tipping her head to one side.

He nodded slowly, "I think so. I still hate that thing."

"I assure you it's safe," she mentioned as he joined on her on more even footing.

Kieran shrugged, "Safe, maybe, but horribly unnerving."

Cuore glanced around once more, commenting, "Where is everyone?"

"Mysidia never guards their end of the road." he informed her, walking towards the door. "Besides, it's likely almost sunrise on this side. No one is going to be out."

Cuore pattered after him as they exited the small building and out into the streets beyond. They were indeed empty, and Cuore could see the slight tinting to the sky that proved Kieran was right. Dawn would be here before they knew it in this time zone.

She noticed Kieran had continued to walk so she hurried to catch up, giving him a quizzical look. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"It's too early to meet with the inspector running the case of the black market, or to see if we can talk to the twins." he explained shortly. "And I'm hungry."

Cuore frowned at him and he just pinned her with a sharp stare, as if wanting her to argue.

But she found she, too, was a little weary and realized that since her brother's disappearance, she hadn't eaten nothing. Even with her advanced physiology, lack of proper care would take its toll.

"Where do you purpose we go?" she asked, looking around at all the buildings without lights on in their windows. "As you said, it's early."

"But it's almost dawn. Somewhere will be serving breakfast." he said, shrugging.

Cuore sighed, but followed him onward, too worn out to bother complaining. She wasn't tired, just drained.

"_Oh Leo, I hope you're alright_…" she thought, chewing her lip.

If anything did happen to him, she would never forgive herself.

They trekked through the cobblestone streets in search of somewhere that would be opening soon, and as the first light of dawn peeked over the mountains in the distance, they heard the tinkle of a bell nearby.

A middle aged woman had opened a door to blink at them. "You wouldn't happen to be looking for somewhere to sit down, would you?"

Cuore just stared at her, not comprehending what the blonde woman was asking. Kieran shot her a brief, annoyed look before answering the question posed.

"Why, are you open?"

The woman shook her head, "In a few, but you can come in. You two looked like you might be wandering a bit, there."

She smiled and held the door a little wider, "Come on in. It'll take a few moments, but I'll get you a table."

Cuore sighed again, somewhat peeved they were wasting time, but knowing there was also nothing they could do at this hour. Time was still their enemy, it seemed.

The inside of the restaurant was dimly lit, a testament to the fact it wasn't open yet, and all the chairs were still up on their adjoining tables. There was a man behind the bar off to one side polishing glasses and another in front of the large fireplace, stoking the flames in it to probably heat the room up a ways. It was remarkably chilly inside, and Cuore brushed her hair over her shoulder with one sweep of her hands. She wanted to pace, but that would be rude, so instead she just took her time looking around.

"I couldn't leave you out there in the cold," the woman said, still smiling. "I have to be a good host. Especially during the Water Crystal Celebration."

Kieran made a face, "The what?"

Cuore couldn't help herself, she answered automatically; "A three-day national holiday in Mysidia in remembrance of the gifting of the water crystal to ancient peoples."

The woman nodded, "Exactly!"

"We're not here for that," Kieran mentioned, sounding bored. "But thank you anyway for opening."

"Oh, of course. I'll fetch you in just a moment. Make yourselves at home!" she informed them cheerfully, sweeping away to do whatever tasks she needed too.

"Mysidia has so many damn festivals," Kieran muttered under his breath. "All Martyrs Day, Day of the Dearly Departed,"

"Celebration of the Passing of the Long Winter," Cuore added as she brushed past him.

He nodded and followed, "Lost Paladins Day, the Festival of A Thousand Wishes," He snorted, "I assume they have a 'Mt. Ordeals Day', too…."

Cuore had found something to take her mind off missing children and studied what appeared to be a notice board taking up a large portion of the wall.

"Oh," Kieran said, stopping next to her. "a hunt notice board."

Cuore shifted her gaze to him curiously, "You know what this is?"

"Of course." he replied absently.

She went back to reading recently posted bulletins and hunt requests, "Then Baron has something similar? I thought only Eblan did."

"As I understand it, everyone does nowadays. With monster attacks becoming more random and such, there's more of a sport involved, not to mention the fiends left are a little tougher than your average imp." Kieran said, pulling one off and looking it over.

Cuore frowned and crossed her arms, staring at him. "You know about it?"

He shrugged and then replaced the notice on the board, "A level five mark? Good luck finding someone in Mysidia to take it on when you've mentioned it's immune to magic…"

"You_ sound_ like you know about it," she pried.

He frowned at her, "So do you,"

Cuore nodded, "I've done my share of hunts back home,"

"…What's the highest ranking hunt you've completed?" Kieran asked, giving her a once over.

She grinned, "A rank five."

He looked skeptical, "You beat a rank five…alone? I find that hard to believe."

Cuore frowned at him again, "I'm surprised you would doubt me, but fine, be that way."

She turned back to the board, skimming over the posted requests and wondering how many hunters Mysidia had come through. She suspected mages wouldn't agree to use their magic for something like this, knowing Mysidia's laws.

Perhaps they had hunters come in, then.

"Your parents let you do these?" he asked after a moment.

Cuore wondered if he was trying to make conversation so she glanced back at him and nodded. "They only warn me to be careful. I want to feel useful, and there's so much to be done that our guard can't do it all."

She dropped her gaze to study the stone tiles under her feet, "Besides, there's still radiation infected fiends occasionally crawling around."

Those were partly her fault, and until all were cleaned up, she would continue to defend against them.

"Rank five, huh?" he muttered, still sounding disbelieving.

She glared at him, "What about you?"

"…Who said I did this sort of thing?" he countered.

She rolled her eyes, "Your acting like you don't want anyone to know."

"I don't." Kieran muttered, pulling another bulletin down to look it over. It was calculated distraction.

"See, we may have one of these, but it's not really…appreciated. We don't really want people running around playing vigilante for profit. There's seven divisions of military to keep people safe."

"And yet, you can't be everywhere, all the time," Cuore commented.

Kieran frowned, "Something like that."

"But…you've still done a hunt, right?" she asked, confused.

He sighed, "Yes, alright? Stop pestering me. Yes, I have and no, don't tell anyone. I also didn't contact the person directly. Something like _that_ sort of menace did not require a reward…"

Before Cuore could question him further, they were called to by the blonde woman from before who gestured to a table near the fireplace. "All ready for you! Kitchen is too, so let me know what you'd like when you're ready."

They sat, and Cuore noticed that she went to officially unlock the door, as if anticipating more customers.

"_You're worried_."

Cuore smiled slightly at the voice and nodded, shifting her gaze to stare at the growing blaze a few feet away. "_Yes, I am Rubicante. I don't know…I've never felt so useless before_."

"_You don't like accepting help_," he pointed out.

She frowned, "_No, it isn't_…"

But she stopped herself, realizing that was exactly the problem. She didn't like accepting help. She always did everything by herself. She was a strong person, independent, solitary. She didn't want or need help usually. In fact, other people slowed her down normally.

But this time she was useless. She was lost and completely confused as to what to do.

"_And worst of all I'm stuck with Kieran Astor for help_." she grumbled inwardly. "_I'm surprised we haven't been getting in more fights_."

"_Frankly, so am I_." Barbariccia said, snorting. "_But he still makes me mad. Little punk._"

Cuore smiled and propped her chin on her hand, still watching the fire, "_Punk is a good word_."

"_At leassst he isssn't being rude to you_," Scarmiglione muttered.

She heard Cagnazzo growl, "_Yes, we were ready to come smack him on your behalf if he did anything._"

"_We?_" she questioned, frowning.

Rubicante was quick to clarify, "_Some of us, not all_."

Cuore sighed, "_You don't have to be so protective of me, you know. I can take care of myself_."

"_Yes, you can, but that doesn't change the way we feel about you_," Anima told her, laughing softly.

"_I'll bite him for you, you know_," Midgardsormr offered.

Cuore rolled her eyes and Phoenix joined in their conversation with a gentle laugh.

"_My, my, aren't we being just a little unfair to the young man?_" she asked, sounding amused.

Barbariccia groaned, "_Devil's advocate_,"

"_I'm only pointing out that so far, he's been helpful. I think you should all just give him a chance_." Phoenix finished.

Cuore sighed once more, "_She's right, you know. As irritating as I find him, he has been helpful. Even if he is only here to spy on me._"

"…_What_?" Cagnazzo asked, sounding confused.

"_He's here to spy_." Cuore repeated, narrowing her eyes at the fire. "_I wasn't supposed to go after my brother, but there is little Cecil, Rosa or Kain could do to stop me. The next best thing is to send someone with me and make sure I behave._"

"_You think that's Kieran_?" Rubicante asked.

She nodded slightly, chin still resting in her hand, "_Yes. Why else would he willingly come with me? He is not fond of me, nor is he the type of person to go out of his way to do something for someone else without being told. Still, I feel sorry for him. Being stuck on this quest with me must be annoying for him_."

"_And you_," Barbariccia added.

"_Yes, and me_."

Phoenix interjected once more, "_Cuore, as always you are very observant, but in this instance…give him the benefit of the doubt, perhaps_."

Cuore frowned, wondering what she meant, but she was distracted when a bowl was set in front of her. She blinked at it, connection with her Eidolons severed as she held her hands up slightly from the surface of the table.

"You were staring off into space chatting with your Eidolons again," Kieran informed her flatly from across the table. "I just got you something assuming you were hungry."

She winced, "Sorry. That was rude, I suppose."

"My conversation skills aren't that great, either." he said, shrugging.

Cuore's thoughts wandered again, despite knowing it was rude to space out with company. She absentmindedly stirred a spoon through the porridge in front of her, worry gnawing at her insides.

Leo was smart, and he was clever and brave, but he was still just a child.

"_Whoever has taken him will pay once I find them_." she thought angrily. "_They picked the wrong child to kidnap._"

"_If you are so intent, you might want to act like it!_" Barbariccia snapped. "_Trust me, I get your feelings right now. If someone so much as looks at Siren the wrong way, I will beat them dead._"

"_She will_." Cagnazzo confirmed, sounding pained.

Cuore frowned, insulted and still stirring her food, "_What's your point_?"

"_My point is that you may have to cross some lines_." the windy Eidolon informed her. "_Read minds, take the information if it's not freely given. Break into more places than just the Serpent's Road._"

Cuore's grip tightened on the handle of her spoon angrily, "_I don't care how dire the situation becomes. I will not sacrifice my morals or cross any boundaries!_"

"_Then you may sacrifice your brother_," Barbariccia snapped back.

She closed her eyes, "_Perhaps_."

"Hey, are you going to just keep playing with that or actually eat it?"

Cuore glanced up to see Kieran giving her a weird look. She winced again, "Sorry, I was…"

"Talking with your Eidolons, yes, I know," he said dismissively. "Still, you need to eat."

Cuore stared at the food, "I'm not…really hungry." she admitted.

"I'm not carrying you if you pass out," he said.

She scowled at him, though he had a point. Maenad or not, she needed to eat, no matter how much the idea did not appeal to her.

Wanting to avoid any further conversations with her Eidolons at the moment, she instead tried to engage Kieran again. The action was almost as unpleasant as forcing herself to eat.

Still, she asked him a question and took a bite.

"You never told me what rank that hunt was,"

Kieran frowned, looking off to the side as someone else entered the building, making the bell above the door chime.

Cuore chewed slowly, waiting for his answer.

"Rank three."

She nodded, "Impressive."

"Don't patronize me, Cuore." Kieran retorted, finishing off what was left of his food.

She frowned, "I wasn't."

He said nothing and she sighed, taking another bite and swallowing it before mentioning, "Are we fighting again?"

Kieran sighed and mimicked her earlier pose by resting his chin on his hand. He watched her take another bite before answering, "No, we aren't. But not everyone can be you,"

She blinked, confused, and was about to ask what he meant when he shot a question of his own at her.

"So, those Eidolons of yours…you can talk to them all the time?"

Cuore nodded, "Yes. I can reach out to them telepathically to form a link. Through that we can talk without them being summoned."

Kieran looked thoughtful, and she blinked, wondering what he was thinking about. She took another bite and smacked her lips disgustedly, not overly fond of the taste of food at the moment.

"Is that…alright with you? The telepathic part, I mean." he said.

Cuore sat aside her bowl, leaving what was left before she felt ill and considered his question. She wasn't really sure what he was asking, and was thankful when he elaborated.

"I'm surprised. With everything that happened…Zeromus and all that, I mean."

Some of the Eidolons bristled at the comment, as if wanting to refute it, but she just hushed them gently and looked off to the side. Cuore didn't like looking directly at Kieran when he was asking things. She always felt like he was accusing her of something.

"Their presence is different." she replied tactically.

It was a vague half-answer, but she owed him nothing else.

Regardless, he nodded, as if it was good enough.

Cuore dropped her hands into her lap, "Where do we go from here?"

Kieran sighed and leaned back, "We need to meet with the lead inspector working the black market case at this end. I wish we didn't have too, but we do."

Cuore's brow furrowed and he smirked, "He's Verian Dahl's brother."

She cringed.

"Yeah, my thoughts exactly. He and I…don't really get along, but he's the contact here in the city so we have no choice. I'd like to arrange a meeting with the twins, but…it's easier said than done."

Cuore pursed her lips, "I wonder if you will have better luck with me here."

He eyed her, "Maybe."

"I do not mean to sound bossy," she said, fidgeting, "But I'd like to get moving as soon as possible."

Kieran sighed, but nodded, "I know, so let's go. And good luck to us both in meeting with Dalton Dahl…"

* * *

Cuore gladly let Kieran take the lead in arranging a meeting with the authorities in Mysidia, and she trailed after him a few steps behind, not sure how this meeting would go.

Last time she had been in town she had made enemies with the Elder in regards to Ultima, one of the lost Eidolons. The time before that, she had wreaked havoc upon their city trying to steal the same Eidolon while under Zeromus influence.

Now she tried her best to avoid eye contact with anyone she passed by, debating for, not the first time, if she should magically dye her hair another color. She could always ask Porom for advice, and it would prevent her from instantly being recognized.

As they approached the inspector's office, there was a stuttering call from the other end of the hallway and they both turned to see Leonora racing towards them.

She waved as she came to a stop, breathing heavily but smiling. "H-hello! I'm glad I caught you. Palom wanted to be here but he's trapped in a council meeting with Porom. They both send their regards."

Kieran frowned, "I wish they were here. Might keep me from punching Dalton or something."

Leonora giggled nervously, "P-Palom said you would say that. They're very much sorry they can't be here."

Cuore shrugged, "Duties come first."

"I-I will join you, however," Leonora said brightly, only to cringe at her own assertiveness. "If…if that's alright, that is…"

Kieran nodded, "Of course,"

They turned back to the door and Leonora knocked first, and asked to enter, leading them inside.

As always, Cuore looked around the new environment before relaxing. It appeared to be a typical office, with a desk, some book shelves and a chaotic mess of trinkets littering the walls and every flat surface.

"Ah, Leonora, good to see you as always."

Cuore glanced toward the voice, seeing who she assumed was Dalton Dahl kiss the back of Leonora's hand in greeting. He certainly looked like Verian's brother, and his voice shared the same smarmy quality to it.

Kieran was standing next to her and rolled his eyes, though the former Epopt just gave the inspector a hesitant smile.

"Likewise, Dalton. I'm glad you've allowed us this meeting on such short notice." she said diplomatically.

He smiled an insincere smirk and glanced at Kieran, "Well, of course. _Anything_ for our allies in Baron."

Kieran frowned at him, "Let's not start this meeting out badly. We have the entire thing to get to that point."

Dalton chuckled, "Charming as always,"

His gaze shifted to Cuore and she instantly felt somehow filthy by the look of contempt he gave her. Clearly he knew who she was.

"Cuore, this is Dalton Dahl," Kieran started, only to be cut off.

"_Inspector _Dahl." he corrected sharply.

Kieran rolled his eyes.

Cuore forced a civil smile, "Nice to meet you. I'm-"

"Oh, I know who you are, my dear. Charmed," he said, reaching for her hand. Instead, Cuore lifted the hand and used it to brush aside a strand of her hair in what looked like a normal gesture. She'd be damned if she let him touch her.

"_Ugh, I want to smack him_." Cagnazzo complained.

Cuore agreed wholeheartedly and moved further into the room, placing herself closer to Leonora and Kieran.

He frowned slightly and then walked back towards his desk, passing them while he talked. "So, what do I owe the honor of this meeting too? I was told you needed help in some matter."

Kieran nodded, "We have reason to believe that the black market is behind the recent kidnappings, and we have a lead on the case that has brought us back here."

Dalton sat, tossing his cloak as he did so, and frowned, "The Magicite is behind the kidnappings."

"No, they aren't." Kieran said, shaking his head. "We're here because we need to know what's been going on here, and we need to find out where something is."

The inspector sighed, long and drawn out, and then tapped his quill against the ink pod more times then was required.

"_He's starting to get on my nerves_." Rubicante commented.

"_Starting_?" Barbariccia countered.

When he looked up, he fixed a patronizing look at Kieran and shook his head. "I'm slightly insulted."

"About what?" the dark haired young man asked, sounding impatient.

Dalton dipped his pen again, and tapped a few more times, "That Baron takes this case so lightly they've sent you of all people to consult with me on this matter. If you truly have leads, then you'd think they would have officially sent summons, or sent someone _other_ than the apprenticed charity case. It's insulting to our rather serious endeavor to rid Mysidia of crime."

Cuore glanced at Kieran, seeing the look of seething on his face at the slight and the clenching of his fists. But what surprised her the most was that he said nothing.

"_That's odd_."

"_What isss_?" Scarmiglione asked.

"_That he doesn't say anything. This is Kieran we're talking about_." she thought, confused.

Dalton glanced at her, "And I must ask what the _infamous _Cuore is doing here. Got bored back home and decided we needed your _divine intervention_? Perhaps you believe that you know best, like last time?"

"Dalton," Leonora chided softly.

Cuore merely replied with a scathing, "_High Summoner_, Cuore."

He frowned, Kieran grinned and Cuore put one hand on her hip, frustrated. "I am here to seek help. Kieran was kind enough to mention he thought you could be useful, but clearly you know less than we do, _inspector_."

He glared at her but she continued, "My brother has been kidnapped along with another child; one of _your_ exchange students. They are missing and I intend to find them. We've questioned someone in regards to this black market debacle and that has led us here. Are you going to help us or am I wasting my time?"

Dalton stared at her for a moment and then set aside his pen and stood, walking slowly around his desk, fingers on one hand lingering on its surface.

"Let me get this straight," he started, voice drawling in an arrogant tone. "Your brother is missing, so that gives you the right to get involved with an investigation that has been going on for the better part of this year just because it's hit a little close to home?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, stopping at the corner of his desk, "That isn't how we do things in the adult world, little girl."

Cuore scowled at him, not sure if it was her thought or one of her Eidolon's to break his nose.

"The fact that I haven't heard about the kidnapping of the prince of another kingdom makes me wonder if any of this is official or if you've decided to play vigilante and throw away decorum." he snapped.

Cuore adverted her gaze, "I won't stand idly by and do nothing."

"And I won't help you break anymore international guidelines." Dalton said, waving a hand. "No, I'm going to draft a letter to the Eblanese consulate about your infractions. There are at least seven violations I can cite at this moment alone."

Cuore laughed bitterly, "Go ahead and waste your time. While you're busy tattling, I will find those children with or without Mysidia's help."

"I don't think you realize what I can do to you, _princess_." Dalton threatened.

"Less than you would think, inspector." she retorted calmly, setting her own hand on the desk's edge so she could lean forward. She kept her voice tone low and unbothered as she enjoyed taking him down a few notches.

"The fact of the matter is there is nothing the consulate can do to touch me. I'm not actually a citizen, you see. The council already ruled on that last year. And if I'm not a citizen, I can't be threatened with petty violations for rules of countries I'm not a part of."

She grinned, "The best you can do is try and draft a letter to my adoptive parents, and I'd love to see how that would go. I'd love to see their reaction to knowing you are withholding information vital to finding their child_, the heir to the throne_, and also keeping secrets about international crime."

Cuore leaned forward a little more, "So the real question, Dalton, is what can I, do to you?"

He glared at them both, but they had effectively disarmed his threats. Poor Leonora looked positively confused over the whole meeting, but true to her rather shy personality she said nothing.

Cuore turned to walk away but Dalton, apparently enraged, continued to throw out threats.

"I'll draft a letter to Baron!" he said next, pointing at Kieran. "You _are_ going to get suspended by the time I'm through!"

Kieran shrugged, "Draft away."

Cuore closed the door once they had left and frowned, "That was a waste of our time."

Leonora looked troubled, "I-I don't understand what's going on."

Kieran shook his head, "Leonora, it's fine. I don't think the inspector knows anything useful, anyway. He still believes the Magicite is to blame."

Cuore glanced at him, "Then what do we do?"

Kieran sighed and looked out the nearest window, "We do things the old fashioned way. It's time to question some people in the town."

Leonora looked between them and Cuore shook her head, preempting the words she knew the woman would speak. "No, Dalton was right about one thing. What we're doing isn't sanctioned. I don't want you to get in trouble. We'll do this on our own."

Leonora looked like she wished to argue, but finally she just clasped her hands together and murmured, "I'll still inform Palom and Porom."

Kieran gestured to Cuore and started to walk away. She touched the blonde woman's shoulder and smiled before following after him.

* * *

Kieran was irritable.

It was nearly evening time and he'd dealt with dead-end leads and obnoxious mages all day. Cuore's attitude was of little help, as she was growing annoyed as well. They were tired, and hungry, and nothing seemed to be going their way.

Until they stumbled upon someone who knew about this Crusader's Challenge Jules apparently attended.

They followed their directions and came to a little building on the outskirts of the worse part of town.

Kieran frowned, staring at it.

"It looks abandoned." Cuore mentioned, eyeing it.

"Yeah," he agreed, suspicious.

They moved closer, discovering that the dilapidated building's door was the only part of it that looked to be in relatively good condition. Cuore frowned and glanced at Kieran.

They both drew their weapons.

Kieran shoved the door inward, making the wood rattle loudly at the hinges, and they both raced inside only to discover the inside was empty.

"It's empty." Cuore said, stating the obvious. She sheathed her katanas and wandered into the room, looking around. Kieran did the same, seeing that besides a few piles of debris there was nothing.

Cuore stopped and narrowed her eyes, making him follow her gaze. After a moment, he came to her side, "What is it?"

Cuore turned abruptly and hurried to the far wall of the house, running her hands across the tiles.

"What…are you doing?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She didn't reply and then tapped on one tile and hooked her fingernails around it's edges, pulling. There was a scrapping sound as it slowly pulled out.

"There was a discoloration on this wall." she explained.

Kieran nodded and walked over, "From being tapered with repeatedly."

"Yes." Cuore said, going up on tiptoes and fishing around inside the tile until she pulled out a piece of paper. It was rolled up and so she unraveled it and read aloud the words inscribed.

"Well done on your quest, crusader. Follow the map onward to your challenge."

Kieran made a face and plucked it from her fingers, "What the hell?"

Cuore looked around the building thoughtfully, "That map on the back looks like it takes us to the inner section of the city."

"An odd place for illegal activities to be taking place," Kieran commented, putting the paper back inside the tile and slamming it into the wall. "Why led us out here and then back again?"

"Perhaps a test?" Cuore suggested.

"Whatever. Let's just go."

Kieran was not in the mood to dally where they would find nothing, irritable as he was, and so he led them back into the inner section of the city, to the building indicated on the map. It was just an ordinary armor store by the looks of it, but once they knocked on the door, a black mage opened it up. He gave them a once over and then grinned.

"Oh, new comers? Found the clues, did you?" he asked excitedly.

Cuore looked confused and Kieran decided to just play along, "Sure."

"Come in, come in." he said, waving them inside. "And welcome to the Crusader's Challenge!"

Kieran glanced at Cuore, who frowned, but said nothing.

As they followed the black mage into the back room, he chattered endlessly. "Good timing, by the way. It's only a couple of minutes before the next match."

He opened another door that had three deadbolts on it and they followed him down a set of tightly enclosed steps. There was distant noise from below that grew the closer they got. It sounded like shouting.

"I see you have weapons. Are you hoping to compete? If so, you'll want to talk to Augus. He's the man in charge here, you know."

Cuore narrowed her eyes, "Yes, I suspect I will want to talk with him."

They reached the bottom of the steps and finally saw what the noise was about. The room was amazingly large, built underground so it would be invisible to those in the city streets. There was a lower section in the center, something like a pit, where an impressively large cage sat. Around it, there were rings of people cheering and shouting.

Inside the cage were a couple of people fighting against varies monsters.

The level above the pit had tables and chairs with all the makings of a normal bar, but also with hints of gambling. If he had to guess, Kieran would guess that they made bets on who would win and lose.

"They fight monsters like a sport," Cuore commented, sounding disgusted.

Kieran shook his head, "I would bet Gil that Dalton has no idea this is here."

Their guide had long since left them to their own devices, traveling back up the stairs to probably meet the next set of people that decided to come here.

The noise inside was outrageously distracting, even for Kieran. The roar of monsters, shouts of combatants, clanking of metal on metal, and of course, the crowd.

He surveyed the room and spotted a man on the highest tier of the building, sitting alone at a table with a gaggle of guards surrounding him.

Kieran frowned, assuming that was who they needed to talk too in regards to this whole operation.

Turning around he took Cuore's hand and pulled her close to speak over the din, hoping to keep her focused so she didn't get overwhelmed.

"I think I see Augus. We should talk to him."

Cuore nodded, "That may be difficult, however. Why would he want to talk to us?"

"We're here to compete, remember?" he said, shrugging, "At least let's pretend that."

She nodded and he frowned, "And as much as I still think it's stupid, your Dagger while we're here, got it?"

Cuore grinned at him, but luckily said nothing and merely let him lead her through the crowded arena.

They passed by groups of people screaming for their favorite contestant, rich looking nobles sipping wine and watching with critical eyes, and the absurdly drunk as they walked. Cuore winced a few times and Kieran just tightened his hold around her fingers, tugging her onward and sliding through the worst of the chaos.

They made it to a set of stairs and climbed, only to be stopped by a handful of Augus's guards.

Kieran scowled at them as they looked down and said nothing.

"You're in my way," Kieran commented tartly, unimpressed. They were unarmed, for one thing, and although they were twice his size, he was traveling with Cuore of all people. She could level the building if she wanted too.

"Oh, let them up. Can't you recognize challengers when you see them?" Augus said smoothly from his chair. He grinned at them through his guards, swirling wine in a glass without actually drinking from it.

The guards finally slid aside, allowing them access to the enclosed area where the entire room was visible in all its horrid glory.

Augus, an overly pretty man with dark red hair gave them a quick once over and then stood, "Here, let's talk where there's less distraction."

They followed him into a small room behind his viewing box, as he talked to them, still holding his wine in one hand. "This is my office, of sorts. But it's less noisy, wouldn't you say?" He sat in a chair while one of his guards stood in front of the door like a statue.

"So," Augus said, crossing his arms. "Tell me what I can do for you."

Cuore glanced at Kieran, obviously wanting him to take the lead again. It was probably for the best, considering. But before he could even form an idea what to say, Augus spoke up with a chuckle and finally took a sip of his drink.

"No, don't bother. I know why you're here, don't I?"

"_I doubt that_," Kieran thought sarcastically.

Augus swallowed his drink and nodded, "You're here to make some money and have a little fun, to prove you're as strong as you believe yourself to be. I know how it goes. In just a few years I've made my pit the most desired location for rich and poor alike. For thrill seekers, for the warped minded who just like to see pain and blood."

He leaned forward, "You see, I make money, and my guests make money, and money makes everyone happy."

Kieran was trying his best not to snarl at the man and remain stoic. "_As soon as this children crisis is over, I'm figuring out some way to shut this place down._" he thought disgustedly.

It was bad enough that people were willing to get injured for sport, and that other people wanted to watch it happen, but the thought that this horrible man was making a profit on it made him want to gag.

"So, how'd you hear about us?" Augus asked, draping one arm over the back of his chair casually.

"Jules," Kieran replied truthfully.

The man grimaced, "If he didn't give me so much money, I'd feed him to my pets."

Kieran had to find some delight in that comment even as Augus glanced at Cuore and gave her a funny look.

She was recognizable, but hopefully he was intoxicated and wouldn't notice.

All he said about her was; "My, aren't you a pretty thing. And a dual wielder by the looks of those swords. Haven't had one of those before…"

Obviously he was already calculating profits and Kieran suppressed an eye roll.

Augus sighed and then smirked, "You know, Jules is a chatty guy. If you think he didn't already tell me you were on the way, then your idiots."

Kieran stiffened and Cuore frowned, but the man just chuckled, taking another sip of wine. "Well, well, I've made you speechless. So, your brother is missing, right?"

She nodded and he shrugged one shoulder, "And you think I know something?"

"Our investigation has led us here," Cuore replied.

Augus regarded them for a moment, "I'm not personally attached to the black market, but a lot of people come through here. I hear things. I know people." He grinned, "The question, then, is what is that information worth to you?"

Kieran glared at him, "What do you want?"

"I don't know…I doubt you'll put on any more of a show than anyone else in this arena, and I'm already a rich man, so there's little you can offer me."

Cuore slid her way past Kieran to stand in front of the man and glared at him, "You don't think your _warped_ patrons would enjoy seeing the last Maenad alive duel against one of your monsters?"

Augus smiled slowly, "So that's who you are. I should have known."

He stood and set aside his glass, studying her once more while speaking, "So, your brother then, is missing? Such love and devotion for a creature supposedly devoid of a heart."

Cuore twitched, and Kieran could guess she wanted very much to take violent action against him, Kieran was at that point as well, but something told him it would gain them little.

Augus took a single finger and used it to lift her chin, "So, do we have a deal, then? One fight in exchange for my help?"

"Prove to me you have anything worth it," she countered sharply.

He grinned, "Very well, a show of good faith, then? Fine." The man turned and pulled a few papers off his desk, waving them in front of her, "This is a list of names of people I've found work for the black market or have connections to it. I also have details on the location of the divine delta, where that stash of Lunarian tech supposedly was. And even though you didn't ask for it, information on the Scorpion Gang, as well."

He pulled the papers out of reach before they could get a very good look at them.

"So, what do you say?" he asked.

She scowled at him, "I say you're going to have to do better than that."

Augus smiled and leaned forward to whisper into her ear, "So, heartless after all, then? I would have thought the wellbeing of your little brother _Leo_ would have made you more…willing."

Kieran saw her hands tightened into fists, but she remained composed otherwise.

"Deal, my pretty little Maenad?" he asked.

Cuore hesitated and then nodded.

"Good. No magic, either. The fight would be too short. And you can't use those impressive looking swords of yours either."

Kieran was about to make a smart comment about those terms but Cuore just nodded again and muttered; "Agreed."

He stared at her, wondering if she'd lost her mind.

Cuore was usually the logical one, the one that didn't let anything bother her. She was smarter than this. They could take the information by force, or they could walk out and find another way. They could do any number of things rather than give the sadistic bastard what he wanted.

But she just stood rigid, unwavering in her loyalty to her brother. No matter how foolish it was making her.

"Excellent! Then, tonight will be a night to remember! I'll give you what you want after you win. Assuming you don't die, of course."

Kieran stared at him dubiously, "That's it? Just one fight and you give us this information? Won't the black market be outraged?"

Augus shrugged, "I'm a business man. I keep this information because I think it will gain me something. And it has. I'll make a killing in bets for this fight. A Maenad verses my most fearsome creature? Now, who wouldn't want to see that fight?"

Cuore swallowed, "I want a written contract. I don't trust you to keep your word."

He laughed, "Ah, you speak my language. You shall have one."

* * *

It was half an hour later when they finally left Augus's office. In less than fifteen minutes Cuore would be stupidly entering a fight Kieran was skeptical she could win.

No weapons or magic?

"Cuore," he tried, but she ignored him. She kept walking at a clipped pace, down the long hallway that apparently led to the staging room before the fight.

"Cuore," he tried again, this time with a sigh.

Still she ignored him.

Kieran grabbed Cuore's arm; she twisted out of his grasp with a huff. He took her arm again, this time with a tighter grip.

"Cuore!"

She spun around and pierced him with such a sharp glare that he blinked. He'd never seen her _that _mad at him before.

"What, Kieran?" she snapped, freeing herself from his hold again.

He scowled at her, not appreciative of her tone. "What is wrong with you?"

When she just stared at him he elaborated; "You're acting recklessly! Where's the practical, logical Maenad?"

Cuore's glare hardened, if possible, "My brother is missing!"

"And you just agreed to willingly participate in a _cage fight_!" he countered.

She looked away, voice growing in volume and hysteria, "What else can I do?!" She shut her eyes, "I-I have to do something. Augus says he knows something, says he can tell me where he is."

"And you think he's telling you the truth?" Kieran asked, studying her intently.

Cuore didn't reply, though her anger seemed to have faded and left her expression crumpled and broken. She was worried, and feeling helpless.

He sighed and rested his hands on the tops of her shoulders, "I get it, alright? I get that your worried, that you're feeling trapped. This is foolish, but it's more foolish for you to go alone. I'll come with you."

Cuore stared at him, obviously surprised.

"I told you before, Cuore," he said with a shrug, "I'm all you've got left. So let's go win us a cage fight, shall we?"

There was a long pause before she nodded.

* * *

Cuore hated humanity at the moment. The fact that they could cheer and scream in delight at something as barbaric as a caged duel between man and monster made her sick.

"_Humans do suck_," Barbariccia commented. "_Please tell me you're going to cheat and summon one of us,_"

"_I can't. I promised not to use magic_." she replied, pacing the length of the arena as Augus himself stood up to introduce them.

"_If you are in danger, then you need to back out of that promise_," Cagnazzo warned.

Cuore bit her lip and glanced at Kieran beside her. He was completely unimpressed with their introduction, apparently, and had leaned against the bars instead.

Cuore looked around the cage, taking in the length, the height, the way she couldn't see past the bars very well with the lighting so dim.

There was an uproarious cheer from the crowd she assumed meant that they had been announced.

It was then there was a creak and the bars across the cage from them slid upwards to allow their foe access to the arena.

It was three times their size, taking up nearly the entire height of the cage as it floated mere inches from the ground. The creature was a mass of slithering, wriggling tentacles that slowly curved upward to form an oval head with a gaping maw.

Cuore's eyes widened, "A malboro!"

She gave it a once over as the gate crashed into place behind it and came to a conclusion. "They have mutated it."

"No duh," Kieran snapped at her shortly. "Since when were malboros that large?"

Seeing her opponent made her cringe, knowing this battle would be a hard one and wishing for a spilt second she could summon an Eidolon. But that would forfeit her deal with Augus, and then nothing would be gained.

The malboro wasted no time in opening its mouth, foul greenish tinted salvia dripping onto the ground where it hissed.

"Acid!" she warned, already moving to the side.

A projectile of the sickening goop was launched at them and hit the ground right in front of the bars, dissolving it with a curl of smoke.

Cuore winced, wondering what that would feel like if it hit one of them. Kieran glanced at her, "I'm open to suggestions, here!"

She took a deep breath and leaned down to pull her pant leg up and remove a short knife from each leg. She stood up straight and tossed one across the battle field to Kieran, who gave her a funny look.

"That contract I signed said I couldn't use my katanas. It said nothing of other weapons." she explained.

He nodded, looking pleased with that response.

"_Rule one; there's always a loop hole_."

The malboro lashed out with one of its tentacles, barely missing her as it instead tore up the flooring where she'd been standing. This close Cuore could see that the whip-like appendages were lined with small thorns she guessed would pierce skin.

A hit from one of those would be as unpleasant as the acid.

Cuore dashed forward, intent on going on the offensive, though she had to rethink that course of action when the remaining tentacles lashed out and tried to catch her. She flipped her dagger to an underhand grip and finally cut one off.

The malboro retracted the others with an unholy screech, deciding to lob another round of acid at them instead.

Cuore hissed in pain when one of projectiles landed and splattered onto her leg from the impact. Even the slight burn of stray droplets was enough to burn through her clothing and damage her leg.

Kieran blocked a whip from one of the limbs to his face with his gauntlet, but the strike still sent him back a few steps from sheer force. It struck again and he winced, likewise blocking it before slicing the next one halfway off.

Another screech from their opponent gave Cuore the chance to pause from dodging and take aim.

"_Rule two; always have a weapon at the ready_."

She gauged the distance between her and her target and then flipped the grip of her weapon to hold it by the tip before throwing it.

Her aim, as always, was true, and the dagger embedded itself into one of the massive eyes of the creature.

It's reaction was exactly what she would have thought it would be; more screeches and an onslaught of attacks. A spurt of acid caught her in the shoulder, making her wince, and then a wriggling arm lashed out and smacked the side of her leg in her distraction. The thorns ripped across her flesh as they retracted and she bit her lip to avoid screaming both in rage and pain.

Kieran hadn't fared much better, she noticed, as she glanced to check on him. There was a tear through the sleeve of his jacket on his right arm, likely from one of the whips that creature could command.

He caught her eye and tossed her the second dagger. "Do that again, I think it's our only chance, here."

She stared at him, "I'll need a distraction."

He sighed but nodded, "Alright, but make that shot count."

Before she could retort, he dashed forward and ran around the creature, drawing it's attention, she assumed. Cuore caught her breath and readied the second dagger.

"_If this doesn't take it out, I'm out of weapons._" she realized, but quickly shook the distraction away.

Once Kieran had circled the length of the cage and come back, she was ready and let her blade fly again. Once more, it hit its mark; another one of the bulging eyes. Again the malboro counter attacked with whips of limbs and spewed acid.

The acid was easier to avoid then the tentacles, since it traveled in a straight line and the limbs could turn and coil.

One hit Cuore in the side, hard.

She slammed to the ground, getting the air knocked out of her lungs, and she winced, feeling it pull away, ripping through her skin and the fabric of her shirt as it went. Another coiled around her foot, thorns digging into it like talons.

She growled and sat up, pushing the pain into the back of her mind as she thought up some way to free herself.

She could taste magic on her tongue, feel it tingle on the tips of her fingers, but she had to ignore the temptation.

The vine wrapped around her ankle pulled sharply back, and Cuore lurched forward from the action, using her hands to brace herself on the ground and not allow it to pull her forward anymore.

Apparently realizing its prey was resisting, another appendage moved to strike her in the face, but she covered it with an arm, letting it take the hit instead.

Her skin stung with the slap it received, only to jerk violently when that vine attached itself to her as well, this time coiling around her arm.

Cuore growled and grit her teeth as she yanked back on the binds, annoyed.

Before she could make any more of a move, Kieran was at her side and surprised her by sawing through the tentacle attached to her arm with the spikes on his gauntlet.

The cut was anything but clean, and she felt slightly revolted by the time the limb withered to the ground, mangled.

He did the same to the one holding her leg, though it was faster this time.

"Sword rat," he wheezed, holding up his arm.

She had to crack a smile at that, even as she watched him unbuckle the other gauntlet and let it clatter to the ground. The blue metal was dented and scoffed, but most of all it was pitted.

"Some of the tentacles have acid instead of thorns. Watch out for those." he informed her, trying to catch his breath.

Cuore would have replied, but she saw his warning was a good one as a vine sped towards them. She shoved him to the side and pitched back herself, in the opposite direction.

The acid laced arm slapped against a couple of the bars behind them, leaving the metal to hiss and smoke from the contact. As it yanked its tentacle back, Cuore glanced over her shoulder, an idea suddenly coming to mind.

"_Rule three; use your surroundings to your advantage_."

She got to her feet, placing herself as a prime target in front of the bars, and waited while the monster slithered a little closer before launching another assault.

Cuore barely made it out of the way and rolled as the vines slapped uselessly against the bars rather then hit her. As they pulled back, she sprang to her feet and turned to the bars, pleased with the result.

The acid had eaten its way through the metal of the bars, pitting it and making part of it brittle and weak. She had forced the creature to align its second attack so that there was a space between the two strikes, making it weak in _two_ spots.

She grasped one with both hands and pulled as hard as she could, forcing her pain into the back of her mind as she worked.

With a sharp tug and grunt, the bar broke with a clung and she was left with a blunted weapon.

She didn't really know what good it would do her, but it was something.

Kieran had obviously noticed her actions and done the same, and she watch, impressed, as he tested the weight of the metal in his hand before giving it an experimental twirl between his fingers.

The weapon must have been enough like his swallow that he felt comfortable using it, if the way he shifted his stance was any indication.

"That thing is half blind and losing blood," he told her. "If we can survive long enough, it'll die."

Cuore glanced between him and the malboro a couple of times before declaring, "Easier said than done."

Kieran nodded but then sidestepped another attack which spurred him into taking a couple swings at it himself.

He scored a few hits as Cuore tested the weight on her foot, making sure it wasn't broken, but then she winced when one of the arms scored a hit on the side of Kieran's face. He winced and used his sleeve to quickly wipe off any of the acidic residue.

Cuore took a deep breath and adjusted her grip on her own staff. Her skill was nowhere as elegant as Kieran's, but it would make do.

"_Rule four; don't lose your focus_."

She pinned one of the tentacles to the ground with her bar, making the malboro rage for a moment as it tried to free itself.

For the first time, Cuore felt a tinge of pity for the poor monster.

They weren't so different, forced into this fight with no say in the matter. It had probably been captured in the wild and trained to be what it was now, and she glared at nothing in particular, wanting to kill Augus instead of it.

Kieran had taken her attack as a distraction and blindsided the monster with the side of his weapon, smacking it across the face so hard it dislodged a few of its jagged teeth.

They had advanced close to the monster, and this close Cuore would see that half its eyes were swollen shut, bleeding, and if she didn't know any better_, crying_.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, feeling her own tears blur her vision. "I'll end this for you, for us."

She pulled her rod out of the ground and used it to jam one of the daggers further into the creature's skin and membrane.

"_Rule five; have a reason to fight. It makes it impossible to lose_."

Within a second, the malboro stilled, wilted, and sank to the ground. Cuore let her fingers uncurl from the pipe she was holding and closed her eyes. "_For my brother_,"

So why, then, did she feel so guilty about it?

* * *

Augus greeted them after their victory with an ecstatically disgusting expression on his face.

"Well done! Betting was through the roof! And I'll admit, no weapons, no magic? I didn't think you'd pull out of that one."

"I don't want your praise," Cuore snapped, holding one of her arms. The adrenaline of the fight was rapidly leaving her body, and in its wake she felt tried and weakened. She wanted to wash her hands of this whole affair as soon as possible.

"No, I suppose my opinion matters little to you," Augus said, grinning.

Cuore just glared at him as he sat in his chair again. Taking a deep breath she tried to keep her voice level, "I did what you wanted. We had a deal."

Augus shrugged, and picked up a piece of paper, "Yes, you mean this?"

Cuore knew even before he ripped the paper in half that he was going to double cross her. Despite that, she still felt a burst of anger. So much so, in fact, that she narrowed her eyes and even before she asked permission, she felt the agreement of her chosen Eidolon.

"Despot of earth and blight, come and join me in this fight! Scarmiglione, I summon thee!"

The crest at her feet flashed green and she enjoyed watching the slight shift in Augus's arrogant expression as Cuore glanced at her zombie friend. He grinned back at her, obviously knowing she was mainly summoning him because he looked frightening.

"I knew you weren't going to keep up your end of our deal," she said, taking a step back. "Somehow, letting my friend here rip you from limb to limb sounds like a lovely idea, don't you think?"

He swallowed and she grinned wickedly, "Maybe I should sell tickets."

Augus glanced at Kieran, but he just shrugged, "Don't look at me to save you. I know better than to get on Cuore's bad side."

Scarmiglione turned his attention to the man and grinned, walking forward, "Yesss, death to thossse my missstresss hatesss. What ssshe hatesss, ssso do I! I will feassst on your flesssh!"

Augus cringed into his chair, "I don't want to die! Take the information! It's all right there!"

Cuore rolled her eyes, "Coward. You can watch people fight for sport, but you can't handle it yourself." She pointed to the door, "Out, and pray we never meet again."

He stumbled to a stand and then rushed out, slamming the door behind him.

Kieran glanced at her lazily, "You know he's going to get his guards and everything."

She shrugged, "Let them come."

Scarmiglione was laughing beside her, and she finally grinned at him, "Enjoyed yourself, did you?"

He cackled and waved his disfigured arms in front of himself, "I haven't been able to talk that way in a while!"

"You'll feast on this flesh?" she repeated, walking around behind Augus's desk and working to sling her katanas over her shoulder. She passed Kieran's swallow to Scarmiglione, who turned to hand it over while commenting, "It wasss the scarissst thing I could think of!"

Kieran gingerly took his weapon from the despot and Cuore skimmed the desk for the papers seen earlier. Scarmiglione shuffled over to her and she smiled at him, grateful for his help. She set her hand on his arm, "Thank you, for playing your part."

He nodded and reached up to brush a strand of hair off her face, "I would ssstay and help you look, but you are tired. You ssshould releassse me back and sssave your ssstrength."

Cuore sighed, but was smart enough to know he was right. She was about to sever their bond but paused when Scarmiglione glanced over his shoulder at Kieran and frowned.

"You, watch out for her."

Cuore rolled her eyes, "I can take care of myself,"

Scarmiglione shrugged, and she severed their link, letting him fade back to the Feymarch.

While Kieran briefly took inventory of the rest of his belongings, Cuore pulled books off the shelves and flipped through them haphazardly. With her photographic memory, nothing would be lost, but she was still hoping to find something that was obviously tied to the black market.

There were keywords she saw as she went, but none gave her hope until she spotted a reference to the divine delta and the blank market in the same sentence.

"Kieran," she called, looking up.

He came to stand at her side and she tilted the book so he could see.

"The black market used Lunarian weaponry to fend off a Mysidian arrest party." he said, sounding surprised.

Cuore nodded, "Recently, too, it sounds like. Perhaps the Scorpion Gang sold the black market some weapons?"

"Or, they are smuggling the weapons through the black market," Kieran commented, checking a few pages after. There was nothing more of interest and Cuore thoughtfully tapped her fingers against the desk. "Maybe…we should look into that stash of Lunarian items while we're in town."

He nodded slowly, "A good idea, since we're here anyway."

They heard shouts from the other side of the door and froze. Cuore sighed, and Kieran glanced at her, hesitantly speaking up.

"I…don't really feel like dealing with that."

She shook her head, "Neither do I, and I know just the Eidolon who will enjoy this the most."

Cuore closed her eyes, casting her magic into the Feymarch as she spoke the incantation aloud, ending with the signature of the Eidolon she wished to summon.

"Empress of storms and wind, come and scorn my foes with victory! Barbariccia, I summon thee!"

Barbariccia spun once summoned, giving her hair a flick before the golden summoning crest had even disappeared. Cuore glanced up at the taller woman, "I assumed you'd appreciate a good brawl."

Barbariccia grinned, holding out one hand, "I would! And Siren and I just did our nails, see?"

Cuore frowned, noticing her sharp her nails looked. "More like talons, Barb. Don't kill any of them."

The windy Eidolon sighed, clearly disappointed, but Cuore shrugged and shook her head, "I said kill. I don't care if you beat them senseless."

She smirked and sauntered up to the door. She raised her hand and acted as though she was blowing mere dust off her palm. The door was ripped from the hinges and flew outward, flattening those closest to it.

There were screams and Barbariccia chuckled, "Oh, they have swords! My, my, this will be fun!"

Cuore glanced at Kieran, who was giving her a look.

"I have to let her have fun sometimes," she said, feeling slightly defensive. "Now, come on. We've got to get out of here. Barb will clear us a path."

"I wish we could burn this place down while we're here and be legal about it." Kieran grumbled, looking around in distaste.

Cuore nodded, "So do I. But, we know it exists, and I've just taken all the information from Augus's office. Hopefully some of it will be on use to stopping him."

They trailed after Barbariccia, who did as she was bid and cleared the way for them. It took a few minutes, but finally they left the darkest of the Crusader's Challenge behind them in favor of the natural dark of night.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Well, I promised you action, so here it is! I had a couple different drafts of ideas for this one, but I think this works the best.

Also, and possibly more importantly; *hand holding* (Your welcome, hehehehe)

Okay, a note: Cuore not being a citizen was mentioned in Lost and Found (It was one of the reasons she felt betrayed) and has yet to be repealed.

I assume Mysidia has to have some sort of 'police' force...right? I mean, it makes sense. What, do they use magic to solve everything? Maybe, but I like to think they're of the opposite mindset; magic is holy, therefore you shouldn't abuse it.

As for the hunt board, I'm thinking along the lines of XII, though not as organized yet. Makes sense, no? (And of course Cuore would be all over that...)

Barb's summon phrase was annoying to come up with. I'm still not happy with it.

Scarggy's scene was loads of fun to write.

Hey everyone; if your reviewing this, I'd love to hear what you might think is going on, mystery wise...

In other news, I was listening to some epic music while writing this chapter and I've also become hooked once more on the Justice League cartoon. Anyone know what that is? Anyway, it's awesome.

Until next update!


	8. Cessation

**Another chapter!**

**For those of you reading this who are interested in the possibility of romance between two certain characters, well...you will probably like this one for the slight fluff and awkwardness included within.**

**Also, whether or not your a Kieran fan, you have to feel sorry for him this chapter or you just don't have a heart...**

* * *

Leo had never been afraid of the dark.

Well, once, a long time ago he had been, but Cuore had told him it was completely illogical to be afraid of the dark, as it, in of itself, couldn't hurt you. It was just things hiding in the dark that were scary. Then she'd told him that if they could learn to hide in the dark, too, then nothing could hurt them in the dark.

It made perfect sense.

But for some reason, being in this little stone room for so long, in the dark, was making Leo uneasy. He missed seeing sunlight, he missed the breeze, he missed his family.

"_I want to go home_…" he thought miserably. Leo shook his head; he had to be strong. The other kids were just as scared as he was, and they needed to get out of here. He needed to be strong for them.

"_Cuore wouldn't be scared_," he thought, hugging his knees. "_She'd be fine, and she'd get herself out of here and everyone else_."

He missed his sister.

Rainbow and Titania were curled up and sleeping to his right, and Felix was leaning against the wall to his left, likewise asleep. Raj was still awake, but Leo didn't really care to talk with the older boy, so he didn't speak out loud.

They had a plan of escape.

"_Rule one_," he recited, "_there's always a loophole_."

Once their captors came back, they would rush them, run, and never look back. Felix had promised to use his magic, no matter how unsure of his skill he was. Leo had given each of them rocks he'd found littering the cave.

They needed weapons, after all.

"_Rule two; always have a weapon at the ready_." he remembered.

So now they just waited, catching bits of rest when they could.

Raj was staring at him and he fidgeted, not liking it.

"What?" he finally asked, glaring at him.

Raj raised his chin, "You scared?"

"…Yeah," Leo admitted, adding quickly, "So what?"

Raj shrugged and looked back to the door, "This isn't going to work, you know."

"You said-" Leo started, confused.

The older boy snorted and cut him off, "I said I was willing to try. There's nothing else to do. But it's not going to work."

Leo frowned at him, annoyed.

"You're scared?"

Leo glanced at Felix, who had just woken up and was blinking at him sleepily.

He nodded, "Yeah, of course I am."

"B-but you never l-look scared," Felix argued, shaking his head. "I'm always scared because I'm not good at anything. But you seem really cool."

Leo grinned, "Thanks, but I still get scared. I miss my home, but that's why we've got to get out here!"

Before they could continue, the door to the cell was unlocked with a loud 'clack' and Leo hopped to his feet, pointing to the girls. Felix nodded and quickly shook them awake while Raj hurried over so they could group together.

This _had_ to work.

The door opened, filling the space with bright light that stung their eyes, only to be blocked off by the two men that always showed up.

The woman, Belladonna, wasn't with them.

They were carrying more food, and Leo was the one that let out as loud of a scream as he could. It was the sound he was always told not to do unless he absolutely was in trouble.

The other kids followed suit, and it was actually Rainbow who lobbed a rock at one of the men, first. It hit him square in the face.

Raj and Leo then threw theirs, and Felix hastily began to chant a spell, his voice uneasy and wavering, thought he never missed a word.

Leo rushed forward and grabbed one of the trays they had dropped. He swung as hard as he could, jamming the corner of it into one of their kidnappers knees.

"_Rule three; use your surroundings to your advantage_." Leo thought, glad he remembered.

The man yowled in pain, stumbling back, and Leo bent to pick up one of the rocks previously thrown.

"Rainbow!" he called, tossing it back to her.

She caught it and then switched hands, launching it again.

He was impressed she threw so hard and well for someone who had never been in a fight before.

"Magic!" Titania squeaked, warning them.

They all scattered as Felix finished his shaky incantation. Small ice crystals shot out at the men, pelting them until they cried out in surprise and stumbled away from the door.

"Come on!" Leo cried, waving the others out. The kids slipped past their captors, taking advantage of their distraction and their small size.

They dashed into the corridors beyond, though once out it was obvious that they were still far from being free. The area consisted of stone tunnels, as if the whole place was carved right out of a mountain side. There were lanterns hanging at junctions to other tunnels, or openings to rooms, locked or otherwise, and small metal tubes along other walls that gave off unnaturally bright light.

"Raj, take the lead!" Leo ordered, pointing. He was glad the other boy didn't argue and slipped past him to race up front. Leo took up the last position, urging the others on and helping Titania when she stumbled.

He held her hand, "Come on, we're getting out of here."

She nodded, eyes wide.

"I was going for fire," Felix lamented.

"Hey, it worked!" Rainbow said, smiling brightly as she ran.

They heard their attackers behind them, and Leo was worried they might not stay ahead. The men were taller, and faster, and older.

But that didn't mean they automatically were better.

"_Rule four; don't lose your focus_," he reminded himself.

Leo pushed Titania ahead of him and turned, glaring at them, "Felix! We need another spell! A big one! I want…"

He paused, he wanted fire, to block the tunnel, but if he always cast the wrong one…

"Ice! Use ice!"

Felix gulped, but nodded and hung back with him, beginning to chant.

Rainbow skidded to a stop, "What are you doing?"

"No, you three keep going!" Leo said, shaking his head. "We'll catch up!"

Raj didn't need to be told twice, and took off. Rainbow hesitated but then prodded Titania into following her. The red head looked dismayed to be leaving.

Leo needed to buy his friend time to complete a spell, and he glanced at the wall. A lantern was hanging right next to him, marking where another metal door was.

"_I wonder if_…" he thought, running over and climbing up on a nearby crate to reach it. He dragged it down and looked it over, wondering how it was fueled.

Cuore said there were different types of lamps, but Leo didn't really know more than that.

Still, it had to use flame, right? And if there was fire, then it had to be eating something, right?

He shrugged and pulled the 'stunner' device out of his pocket, the same one Belladonna had used on them before.

He had no idea if it would work, but he tossed the device at the feet of the men as they came into view. They both cringed, obviously expecting it to go off. When it didn't, they glanced around and then glared at him.

Leo grinned and threw the lantern next, just as Felix drew to the close on his spell. Breaking apart, the lamp splashed the area it had fallen with oil, exactly what Leo had wanted to happen.

Felix threw his hands up with a wince, obviously still expecting his spells to backfire somehow.

But this time, he had cast fire and Leo's grinned widened, even as he turned and pulled his friend along.

The small burst of flame Felix had made ignited the spilled oil, making the sparks engulf the entire space. The fire then ate through the stunner, and for reasons Leo didn't really understand, it blew up.

He watched and winced as the entire tunnel opening was blocked with a deafening sound of an explosion.

He tugged Felix's hand, "Come on, let's catch up to the others."

His friend stumbled after him, fixing his hat with his free hand. "S-sorry, I know you wanted ice…"

"Nah, I actually wanted fire, but since you always do the opposite, it worked out well." Leo assured him, flashing him a grin.

Felix chuckled nervously, "Oh, okay…"

It took a couple of turns, but they finally caught up to the others, who were standing at a spilt in the paths, and they brightened when they saw the other two.

"What was that sound?!" Rainbow asked, eyes wide.

Leo grinned, "Us being awesome. But hey, why'd you stop?"

Titania spoke up quietly, so he bent to hear her, "We don't know which way to go…"

Raj was pacing, "We take a wrong turn, and we're dead."

"Stop it," Leo muttered, rolling his eyes.

Felix was peering into a room, "Hey, what's that thing? It looks like the Serpent's Road…"

They all clustered around him, curious, and Titania let out a squeak of fear.

Leo glanced at her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "Hey, what's wrong?"

"That thing," she whispered, pointing at it, "That's what they made me touch. That's the thing I was telling you about."

Leo looked back, agreeing with Felix that it did resemble a Serpent's Road, but what was it doing here?

"I thought the Serpent's Road only went from Baron to Mysidia," Rainbow said, confused.

Felix nodded, "Me too."

Raj shook his head, "Look, who cares? We need to move. They're going to find us."

Leo nodded, "He's right."

"But which way?" Felix asked.

Rainbow skipped over to the two paths, looking at both before bending down to stare at the ground.

"What are you doing?" Leo asked, curious.

She looked up and grinned, pushing a strand of hair out of her face, "Well, those people have to get out of here too, right? So they probably walk it lots of times, right?"

The other children nodded, Leo included, and Rainbow finished. "So, there must be some signs of which way they take, right?"

He brightened and ran over, "Good idea Rainbow!"

The girl beamed at the praise, and they all crowded around her, looking at the ground.

Raj pointed down the right tunnel, "That way. The stone is more worn then the other."

They all nodded and took off, but Leo glanced back to see Titania still staring, petrified, at the room that contained the not-Serpent's Road.

He hurried back around and gave her a half-hug, "Come on, Titania, we have to get out of here."

She stared at him with fearful eyes, "L-Leo, you don't know…I mean, I-I'm not…"

He smiled at her, "Hey, its okay. We're going to get out of here, so you don't have to worry about it anymore. I won't let anything bad happen to you, okay?"

Titania hesitated, and whispered, "Y-you don't even know me,"

"Sure I do!" he said, shrugging. "I know you well enough. We're all friends and we will get out of here. You'll see."

She took one more moment to glance back at the room and then nodded, racing off down the tunnel after the others, leaving Leo to catch up. "Hey, wait for me you guys!"

"_Rule five; always have a reason to fight. It makes it impossible to lose_."

His sister had told him those five basic rules on their trip to Baron to pass the time. He'd ask her where she'd come up with them, and she'd smiled and ruffled his hair, saying; "I came up with nothing, little brother. Someone told me those rules and now I'm sharing them with you."

Leo had of course asked who had told her, and she'd said that their father had, and that their mother agreed.

If both his parents agreed on something, it had to be true.

And that meant they would get out of here. He just had to remember it and make the others remember it, too.

* * *

Kieran had never been so glad to leave a place and step out into cold morning air.

Augus's operation was a horrid testament to just how demented this planet could be, and he felt that no matter how many times he washed clothing and skin, he'd never be rid of the slimy feeling currently prickling his skin.

Cuore had been remarkable quiet since recalling Barbariccia, and he glanced at her occasionally to check on her. Not that he could tell what she was thinking or feeling, or even if she was injured.

Kieran was slightly jealous at her ability to ignore pain, apparently, especially as he gingerly walked on his left ankle. It wasn't broken, but it had been twisted slightly and he should probably give it a rest instead of walking on it.

But first they had to find someplace to rest. For the second time since they arrived they were wandering through Mysidia in the early dawn hours, and most inns wouldn't be open, he suspected.

Still, if what that last woman had said, and there was some sort of festival happening soon, then maybe businesses would have extended hours. Especially if that business was designed to help guests.

Cuore finally returned to reality long enough to look up and take in their surroundings, realizing that they had wanderer quite far. She glanced at him curiously, "Where are we going?"

He didn't even turn around and continued to walk, commenting over his shoulder, "We need to find somewhere to rest."

He hadn't expected her to argue with him since surely she was just as tired as he was. But she stopped dead in her tracks and glared at her, hands on her hips. "We don't have time. We should investigate the divine delta for clues."

Kieran sighed and turned around to face her, leaving a few feet of open space between them. "We just fought some sort of mutated malboro, Cuore. We're injured and tired. We need to rest."

He was not in the mood to argue with her.

She pursed her lips, "I'm fine,"

"I don't believe you." he countered.

Cuore narrowed her eyes at him, "We cannot afford to waste time! Leo's life is in danger, and the only lead we have is to visit this location!"

"Explaining the situation to me isn't going to change the fact we need to rest," Kieran complained, annoyed.

"I don't need too!" she retorted.

He didn't believe her for a second, but she was stubborn, and would never admit he was right so he turned his back to her, "Fine, whatever. I'm going to find an inn. You can go on alone if you want too."

Cuore hesitated; even without looking he knew because if she'd had a suitable come-back, she would have said something. She seemed to get the last word quite often.

He walked away from her and was mildly surprised when she caught up a few paces later, looking put out and sullen.

Kieran glanced at her; she scowled back.

"I'm not tired. My physiology is more adaptive then yours." she commented haughtily.

Kieran shot her a falsified smile, "Well, not all of us can be Maenads."

She glared at him and said nothing.

Annoyed, Kieran resolutely decided he wouldn't show he was injured and thus walked a little faster than he had previously, hoping to prove to her he wasn't weak. She seemed to think she was better than the rest of the populace, and, sadly, she probably was, but she didn't have to be so elitist about it.

They arrived at a row of inns and the first door they tried was locked, so Kieran moved onto the next one; a three story building made of white stone and decorated almost garishly with magical runes of some sort. He was too tired to roll his eyes.

They entered, bell chiming overhead, and he took a moment to look around, noticing that there was no one around and the main area was devoid of anything but a dying plant in one corner and a desk where he assumed people would check in.

It did not inspire confidence.

Cuore was still giving him the silent treatment, and she went over to look at the plant while he impatiently tapped his fingers against the desk, looking into the back rooms in hopes of spotting someone he could flag down to help them.

It was a few minutes later when a woman in purple robes descended the staircase and spotted him.

"Oh," she said, sounding surprised she had a customer. He noticed that she gave him a once over, curious and suspicious of his disheveled appearance, no doubt.

Kieran wasted no time with pretenses, "We need rooms."

She seemed taken aback but quickly smiled softly, "I'm very sorry, but with the celebration starting tomorrow, we have none to spare. Everything is filled up."

He frowned, annoyed about the silly festival.

The innkeeper flipped through her guest book as she continued, "I believe that the other hotels are likewise full,"

Her gaze shifted upward and she gave him another once over, with prompted Kieran to sigh.

"Yes, I clearly need somewhere to rest," he remarked flatly, making her flinch in embarrassment. "But if there's nothing available, I'll go bleed on someone else's floor."

Coughing nervously, the innkeeper held up her hands defensively, "Wait a moment, please." She sighed and glanced behind her and then back again, offering another weak smile.

"You do look like you've been through a nasty fight with some sort of fiendish wildlife," she admitted.

"_You don't know the half of it, lady_…" he thought, annoyed.

She continued sympathetically, "I know my neighbors have nothing open as well, and I'm filled up, but…there is an attic room in the steeple of the building. It's not much, and the fireplace doesn't really work, nor does the water piping, and-"

He cut her off, "Does it have _beds_?"

"It has _a_ bed," she replied.

Kieran glanced sideways at Cuore, who was acting like a child having a tantrum and standing in the corner with her arms crossed. It took her a moment to register that he was silently asking her what she thought.

"You're the one that's tired," she commented tartly.

Kieran glared at her before turning back to the innkeeper, "Whatever. I'll take it."

The woman gave Cuore a once over and then blinked, returning her attention to him and a forcing another smile, "Alright. I'll get you the key and some extra blankets…"

She moved to leave but then looked back, "Do you need me to fetch a white mage?"

"No."

She frowned, but didn't argue and left, only to return a few minutes later with the items she promised and instructions to not try and use the fireplace unless they wanted to burn down the entire building, and also to warn that the window in the room wasn't exactly secure.

Kieran never wanted to come back to Mysidia. Ever.

They practically stomped up the staircase; Kieran because his leg still hurt and Cuore because she was still being moody.

The stairs thinned and twisted the higher they climbed, and finally they reached the end of the line. There was a flat board to provide a landing, and then a door that looked half eaten by termites.

He made a face and let Cuore push the apparently unlocked door open. The door predictably creaked was it swung open, and she entered, appearing cautious of what was on the other side.

Considering how things had been going so far, Kieran had to admit the room itself wasn't that bad. Slanted ceiling, barely enough space for the two of them to walk more than three steps in any direction, but at least there weren't any holes in the walls.

It was chilly in the room, since the walls weren't likely insulated, and without use of the fireplace, the only heat coming into the room would be from all the others below it.

Despite what the innkeeper had said about no running water coming up to this room yet, there was a four panel screen in the corner with some sort of sad looking tub sitting behind it.

He wondered if they had hopes to get this room up and running in the future. If they did, it had a long ways to go.

Kieran unceremoniously dumped the extra blankets and his traveling pack and weapon on the only bed in the room, completely done with the day.

"I hate Mysidia," he said out loud, frustrated.

Cuore didn't reply and he rolled his eyes, fed up with her rather immature attitude. He turned, commenting, "Are you seriously not going to-"

He trailed off as Cuore flicked the straps of her body suit off her shoulder and pulled her shirt off with no warning.

"_What_ are you doing?" he asked, startled.

She wasn't completely naked since she thankfully didn't remove her undergarments, but she was uncovered enough where he could make out all the evidence of the cage fight.

Gashes on her side and arms, an acid burn on her shoulder, skinned elbows and bruises every few inches.

Cuore winced and prodded her side where there was a nasty slash along her lower ribcage where the malboro had obviously scored a good hit on her.

"Your _fine_?" Kieran repeated sharply, glaring at her.

She glanced up innocently, "I haven't had time to access my injuries,"

He rolled his eyes, "Oh, shut up, Cuore."

If her injuries were anything to go by, he didn't want to look at his own. There was some sort of morbid detachment that he was happy with at the moment.

"Come here, let me see," he offered, beckoning her closer and eyeing the bruises on her back. They almost looked worse than the gash on her side.

Cuore hesitated briefly before sighing and walking over, mentioning, "They aren't that serious,"

"I'd hate to see what you would consider _serious_," Kieran retorted, sitting next to her on the edge of the bed.

"Nothing is life threatening," she remarked defensively.

Kieran ignored her and leaned forward to look over the acid burn on her shoulder, then moving to the slices on her side. It was clear the malboro's whip-like arms had hit her and then pulled away, the thorns embedded on it taking a good portion of her flesh with it.

He carefully pressed his fingertips to the surrounding skin, glad when he determined none of her ribs were broken. He had medical supplies for cuts and bruises and poisons, but broken bones were another matter entirely.

Cuore sounded put out, "Do you know what you're doing?"

He sighed and glared up at her, not bothering to reply and figuring if she wanted him to stop, she would be more forceful about it. Besides, she needed to be treated, because he wasn't going to be responsible for her death.

The wound wasn't very deep, which was good, but it was discolored, as if it was already infected. It would need to be cleaned, and then treated. Hopefully he had enough supplies for the both of them.

Taking a moment to sit back and consider how best to go about this, he glanced at her other injuries.

There was a wide band of darkening skin around her forearm from where one of the tentacles had attached.

Cuore noticed where his gaze had gone and she shrugged, "It doesn't really hurt,"

"Right, because that flesh is necrotizing," he snapped, fixing her with a sharp look.

She frowned and examined it closer as he explained, "You can tell because of the lack of pain and the discoloration. It's gray and black, not black and blue like a bruise. And it's going to spread unless you take an antidote,"

Cuore stared at him. He sighed, "Look, they do _teach_ us stuff for field training."

"Including necrosis,"

He frowned, "Yes."

"A trait malboros do not usually process," she added, sounding puzzled and running her fingers along her arm.

Kieran gave her a look, "Irrelevant. It was a mutated super monster!"

"I find it fascinating," she countered, not sounding the least bit concerned that her arm may have to be cut off. "How did they induce such dramatic changes to the creature's innate abilities? Did they influence it from birth? Capture it and inject-"

Kieran shoved a vial into her hand and interrupted her forcefully. "Drink that."

Cuore frowned and stared at the flask, unimpressed. Kieran sighed loudly, "It's an antidote."

"For the necrotizing agent or the bio-infectious spores we've likely been infected with? Most malboros reproduce that way, you know. By infecting hosts with seed-parasites that-"

"Cuore," he snapped, interrupting her again. "Just drink the phial."

It anything, she looked offended, but did as he asked and downed the entire small bottle in one sip.

Kieran spared a moment to shake his head at her before he started to look over her side once more. Cuore studied him in a way that was making it hard to concentrate, almost as much as her bare skin.

"Why did you have that with you?"

He made a face and look at her again, "The antidote?"

She nodded.

"It's good to be prepared." he replied.

Cuore seemed to think about his comment before she spoke again, "Did you know we would face a creature capable of such attacks?"

"No,"

"Then why-"

Kieran sighed again, cutting her off before this conversation took longer than necessary, "Cuore, I would have thought you of all people would have appreciated me being prepared."

She hesitated and then nodded, "I am appreciative, and impressed."

He paused, caught off guard. Cuore never complimented people, or at least, she never complimented _him_.

She continued, "I am…also appreciative of your assistance." Her voice was sincere, but also halted, as if saying anything was painful for her.

Kieran shrugged, trying to remain focused on her injuries and not on how nice it was to hear praise from someone.

His fingertips skimmed a little too close to the ripped flesh and Cuore hissed, catching his hand between hers to stop him from continuing.

"Sorry," he commented, fully intent on having another debate with her on why she needed to be treated.

Cuore looked mildly annoyed, "Would you listen to me for a moment? I'm trying to pay you a compliment."

He blinked at her and she quickly elaborated, averting her gaze off to the side. "I know you didn't want to come with me, however, I'm glad that you did. I do not enjoy the sensation of knowing I require help, but you have been invaluable thus far and I…"

Cuore shrugged one shoulder, "Thank you, is what I mean to say."

Of all the things she could have said, he wouldn't have guessed that would be it.

Confused, he tipped his head to one side, "If I didn't want to come, I wouldn't have, Cuore."

She stared at him, "I assumed your orders forced you to accompany me."

Kieran's brow furrowed, "What orders? I'm suspended. No one's ordering me to do much of anything as of late…"

Cuore blinked, and he winced, realizing what he'd just told her. Now, as curious a creature as she was, she'd require an explanation.

"You're…suspended? For what?" she asked, tipping her head to one side to regard him in an inquisitive fashion.

He frowned, "It doesn't matter. The point is, no one told me to come with you."

"Then why did you?" she asked softly, still studying him.

Kieran found her intensely blue eyes horribly distracting, as demanding as they were, and so he followed her early movements and shifted his gaze to the side, feigning indifference. "I always thought we needed to be paying more attention to the missing children anyway. I wanted to help you find your brother."

Cuore's lips pulled slowly to a smile, "Thank you."

Awkward with how nice she was being, he shrugged again, wishing they could go back to bickering rather than her acting so uncharacteristic helpless. "I'm surprised you let me come, considering…"

"You made valid points I couldn't argue with." she replied, nodding, "Besides, I trust your judgment and assessment of the situation."

"_Another compliment_?" he thought, slightly concerned. Was she poisoned with something that antidote didn't cure? And since when did she trust him?

"You trust _me_?" he questioned, needing clarity.

Cuore looked puzzled by the question, "Of course. Should I not?"

"No, no, I just…you and I…we're…" he attempted to explain. But what was he trying to convey? That she shouldn't trust him?

She suddenly looked amused, "You seem surprised." She glanced down and finally released his hand, still pressed near her wounded side. "I wouldn't let you get this close to me if I didn't trust you, Kieran."

And they _were_ close. Too close for his tastes, actually.

Was she as uncomfortable with the situation as he was? She didn't appear to be, but then again, this was Cuore. Knowing her, she wasn't even capable of feeling flustered.

"_Lucky her_," he thought absently, distracted.

He had dismissed Viola's comments on the subject, naturally, but he was still human, and Cuore was still highly attractive.

Even with the knowledge they both needed medical attention, there was something horribly wonderful at the fact that she was letting him tend her wounds.

Besides, it gave him an excuse to touch her.

Kieran gave himself a mental smack. "_This is_ Cuore," he reminded himself sharply. There were so many reasons this was wrong and he wasn't even going to go down that road for even a second.

"I should finish treating you," he said. He'd meant to say it louder, but being so out of sorts made the comment sound far softer than his usual tone.

Cuore didn't seem to notice that or his uncomfortably with their predicament, and she spoke up, logical as always. "It may be prudent for me to wash, first. I'm not certain what other foul additions that malboro may have had. I would like to be rid of any and all contaminates."

Her normalcy and practical outlook brought him back to reality and he nodded, "A good idea, but the innkeeper said there was no running water up here."

Cuore grinned and slid from his grasp, "We mages aren't completely useless, you know. I'll just make my own."

He had to admit she made a point, and he glanced away as she grabbed her discarded shirt and walked away.

She made one last comment before she was gone from view, and he frowned. "Once my wounds are taken care of, we should handle yours."

There was no way in hell he was letting this awkwardness continue, and certainly not with a role reversal. He was used to self-treating anyway.

* * *

Cuore was glad for her magic in this instance. Not only could she make water, but she could heat it as well. And cleaning off the day's unpleasant activities felt better then she could have imagined.

"_You should have let me at Augus_," Barbariccia complained.

Cuore frowned as she combed fingers through her wet hair and ignore the sting of water lapping at her injuries. "_Barb, that wouldn't have solved anything, you know_."

"_Sure it would have_!" the windy Eidolon said. "_He'd be dead_."

"_I'm with Barb on thisss one_," Scarmiglione seconded.

Caganzzo chuckled, "_Me too_."

Cuore sighed, "_You three agreeing is frightening. Please tell me Rubi isn't as vindictive_."

"_It would not have been very honorable to murder him, but I would have liked too_." Rubicante replied.

She sighed and rolled her eyes, splashing water on her face.

"_Cuore_,"

"_Yes, Midgardsormr_?"

She expected him to make a joke, or comment on how he, too, would have liked to kill Augus, but instead he just sounded confused.

"_Uh, what is going on with you and grumpy_?"

Cuore frowned in confusion, "_You mean Kieran_?" She felt him nod through their mental connection, but she was still confused. "_I don't understand what you're asking me_."

Before the lighthearted snake could reply, Barbariccia took it upon herself to speak up. "_He means what the hell was that a minute ago? I fully expected him to kiss the hell out of you, pin you to the bed-_"

"_Barb_," several of the others reprimanded with varying intensity.

Barbariccia snorted, "_She's not that innocent, and if she is, then I_-"

"_Ignore her_." Anima interrupted, sounding scandalized.

Cuore just ducked her head underwater before answering, "_I think you all need hobbies if you have so much time to concern yourselves with my personal life_."

Midgardsormr chuckled, "_You're probably right. I could make myself pretty with some hair coilers_."

There were groans.

"_There's nothing 'going on' with us._" Cuore answered, slightly amused by their overactive imaginations. "_We're still barely friends, but I meant what I told him. I am glad he came with me._"

She uncorked the tub, letting the now discolored water drain, and stood up.

"_Although, I'm dying to know what he got suspended for_…"

Her Eidolons all had an idea there.

"_Having a bad attitude_," Rubicante guessed.

Cagnazzo commented, "_Slamming doors_,"

"_Surly looks_," Scarmiglione chuckled, while Barbariccia added, "_Back talking_."

Anima laughed softly, "_Perhaps frowning too much_?"

"_Having no sense of humor_!" Midgardsormr announced.

"_Existing_." Zodiark and Ultima both intoned.

Carbuncle thrilled, but she had no idea what he was suggesting.

Cuore rolled her eyes and squeezed excess water out of her hair, "_I swear, the only one of you being fair is Phoenix._" She took a moment to look at her wounds again, now that they were clean. "_Besides, he does all of that all the time, so why now did he get suspended? It must have been something really bad_…"

She glanced at the pile of clothing and wrinkled her nose. The idea of putting those back on now that she was clean did not appeal to her, but her Eidolons comments made her realize she couldn't very well not get dressed.

Sometimes she hated being human with all the complex rules and social graces.

As Cuore dressed, she continued her train of thought, "_And how long has he been suspended for? He wasn't when I first arrived in Baron, since he greeted me with his armor on, so it had to have been after I arrived_."

She flipped her wet hair over one shoulder, "_But, if it was something major, wouldn't I have heard about it_?"

Cuore was about to tie the sash around her waist when she answered her own question.

She dashed from behind the screen without warning, fearing her thoughts had led her to exactly why he'd been suspended, and if that was the case, then she would feel horribly guilty.

"You were suspended because of what happened in my room, weren't you?" she demanded.

Kieran paused mid-action of wrapping a bandage around his arm and looked up at her, startled.

Cuore was easily distracted from her train of thought when she saw what shape he was in. Obviously her injuries were meaningless when she saw his.

"Your arm!" she exclaimed, eyes widening.

In a few steps she was at his side and she reached out to touch his left arm, damaged as it was, but he surprised her and recoiled before she could.

She blinked, puzzled but mostly concerned, and instead studied the damage without reaching for him again. It wasn't as if she didn't see the cuts and bruises from his other injuries, but the red marks demanded all of her attention.

Besides, the other wounds looked as though he had already treated them if the bandages and empty potion bottles were anything to go by.

"What happened?" Cuore whispered.

The discoloration and mixed pattern of grid-like lines and larger, more irregular shaped blotches ran the entire length of his left arm, from his bicep to the back of his hand, fringes of it curling around the tops of his fingers.

Kieran was clearly uncomfortable with the situation. Even Cuore could read his body language.

But at her question, he answered in a halting fashion, "Their just…scars."

Scars.

"_That would explain the way the color is faded and irregular, and why the surrounding skin looks healthy_." she thought.

Before Curoe even realized it, she had reached out again and this time, she ignored the way he pulled away and let her fingertips graze against the marks. The skin felt slightly dry, but other than that, it felt normal.

"Scars?" she said, catching his gaze and holding it. "From what?"

Kieran stared at her for a moment before answering, "From…the attack."

Cuore swallowed, knowing exactly what he was referring too. The outline, the staining, the location; they were scars from a powerful spell, a spell that combined searing flames with poisonous radiation. A spell the people of this world called forbidden but that the Maenads had cast without reservation or thought, as if it were second nature.

"Flare." she whispered, lost in a memory of destruction and pain.

Viola's comments made more sense to her, now.

"_Why did I never notice_?" she wondered, before realizing that there was no way she would have. She'd never seen Kieran without long sleeves and gloves, perhaps for this very reason.

Cuore sank to the edge of the bed, brushing the outline of the burns, studying where the flames had melded with radiation to create an entirely different kind of burn in the form of red, intersecting lines. The scars told a morbid story of the entire encounter.

"_How did he even survive this_?" she wondered, wishing she wasn't as fascinated by it as she was.

But since the scars were only on one arm, she could ascertain that he hadn't been the target of the flare spell at all. It had been backlash, a half dose of deadly magic.

"_Even then_," she winced.

She knew he hadn't been the target, didn't she?

Her fingers glided across his damaged skin until he abruptly grabbed her wrist, "Stop."

Cuore blinked, startled, and curled her fingers into themselves, feeling guilt wash over her. "I'm sorry," she whispered, "Does it hurt?"

Kieran looked annoyed, "No, it isn't that,"

She bit her lip, holding perfectly still and fully expecting their fragile friendship to crack over this.

Finally he just sighed and released her wrist, saying nothing and turning to rummage through his bag. Cuore wasn't sure if she should say something or not. Was there anything she _could_ say?

He turned back and took her hands, passing her a potion while remarking flatly, "Here. This should help you heal faster."

She stared at the bottle in her hand, not really comprehending what he had just told her.

When she had regained enough of her composure, she looked up and realized that Kieran had already dressed once more and piled the extra blankets on the ground.

"Go to sleep." he told her, not even looking in her direction.

Cuore swallowed thickly, not sure she could sleep. Still, it was clear he deemed the conversation over, so she did as he asked and drank the potion before lying down.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Awkward inn scenes are awkward.

I had gotten some feedback that people like the one-word chapter headers so I've been keeping them. Let me know if you have any ideas of what would be good titles!

I originally thought that would be in the last chapter, but that obviously didn't happen. In fact, with how the story is going, it might be 12 chapters rather then the 10 I originally thought.

We had a brief interlude with the kidlings this chapter! And they uncovered some more clues, but they don't know what to do with them...

Also. For all bad guys in the world: Never cross one of the Geraldine kids. They will win. Every. Time.

**Now, some notes:**

Necrosis. It's a real thing. It's what happens when the cells in the body start to 'die' as it were. It usually happens to corpses, it's how they break down, but it's also similar to like your flesh eating bacteria? Yeah. Not pleasant stuff.

Radiation poisoning/burns. I did a scary amount of research on this simply for Kieran's backstory. It's highly unlikely, that even with only getting hit with the backlash of the spell, that he would be alive, but hey, white magic!

Flare, I assume, must have fire and radiation, since it was mistranslated as 'nuke'. That's what I'm going with. Let's just talk the actual radiation burns for this A/N, and not cover all the other horrible stuff (at the moment, it'll pop up in other stories,)

Yes, radiation does scar. Sunburns are low level radiation burns, so think of any sunburn you've had and magnify it three or four fold. Sometimes the burns look like actual fire burns, but there's also what they call 'flash burns' that look like grid-lines and are caused by the intentionally burst of radiation, and can be caused even if the explosion didn't 'touch' you. That's why Kieran has both types.

I think that's it, for now, but expect more lengthy notes on my future chapters!


	9. Virulence

**For everyone who has reviewed, I thank you! Including Guest reviews. I may not be able to reply to them, but I enjoy hearing from everyone!**

**Here is the next chapter, and yes, this story will most likely be 12 chapters...**

* * *

The first thing that came to mind when Kieran awoke was that he wanted to go back to sleep. However long he had slept, it hadn't been enough.

The second was that his entire body ached. But that's what happens when you fight giant mutated monsters in a cage.

He stifled a groan and shifted under the blankets, noting the chill in the air from the lack of a proper room.

He was drifting back off to sleep when there was a symphony of noise from outside; cheering, drums, trumpets, children and general clamor.

"_Festival_." he reminded himself, annoyed. "_I hate Mysidia_."

It had to have been mid-morning if the parades and festivities were commencing, and that meant by all rights he should have gotten nearly twelve hours of sleep. But that had not been the case. Not with the room's other occupant tossing and turning all night.

Cuore had woken him up more than once with half yelled exclamations or mutterings. He'd heard her brother's name once or twice, and some unfamiliar phrases he assumed were Lunarian.

But even then, he wasn't going to guess as to what nightmares haunted the Maenad teen.

"_Speaking of Cuore_…" he thought, still refusing to open his eyes. He would not get up just quite yet. The last few hours Cuore had been remarkably quiet, and thus, he'd gotten a few hours of consecutive rest. But it was hardly enough.

Another trumpet blast, followed by a rising chorus of children screaming in delight made him open his eyes so he could glare at the ceiling.

And at the spider evidently spinning a new web above him.

"_Hate Mysidia_…" he grumbled inwardly.

With a sigh, Kieran braced himself and then sat up one motion, getting it over with and wincing from his stiff joints, both from the fight and sleeping on the cold floor.

He prodded a couple of his wounds and was pleased to see they were on their way with healing. It would be a couple more days and potions before they were gone completely, but it was better than it had been before.

He glanced at his bag, "_Speaking of potions, I'm all out. If we are going to travel through the Mysidia wilds, I should restock_."

The idea did not thrill him. It would require interacting with people and spending more of his money. He was already running low, but he'd never mention that fact to Cuore. She was worried enough about her brother, so he didn't bother commenting on the fact he was paying for everything.

Kieran rubbed the remaining sleep from his eyes and then slowly stood, deciding it would be better to get this shopping trip over with, especially since Cuore was still asleep.

He had no desire to wake her up.

The previous day had been incredibly awkward; for him, at least. Cuore didn't seem the least bit bothered until she'd seen his scars. But that was always an uncomfortable topic. It was why he avoided it whenever possible.

The fact that Cuore, of all people, had seen them made him embarrassed and uneasy.

He could count the others that had seen them on one hand.

But not only had she seen them, she'd been entranced by them to the point where it made him wonder if she had even been present in reality. Was she just morbidly curious? Disgusted? Merely surprised?

He wasn't sure, but he did know he was going to pretend it never happened.

Kieran frowned as he gathered his things, wondering if he should wake Cuore up to tell her he was leaving so she didn't think he'd just abandoned her. But that seemed unnecessary, so instead he just opted to leave his swallow behind since he was hoping he wouldn't need it and she would understand, then, that he was coming back.

Kieran carefully shut the door behind him and grimaced when he heard even more noise the further he got down the stairs.

Why was it so important to celebrate the day they got the crystal?

"_What is the point of the crystals anyway_…" he complained, rolling his eyes. They seemed to be more trouble than they were worth. Maybe someday he'd ask Cuore to explain it to him. If she ever spoke to him again.

The base floor of the inn was deserted, and Kieran only briefly glanced around before heading for the door. He spotted the innkeeper from before lazily leaning against the check-in desk, reading a romance novel from the looks of it.

She happened to glance up when he passed by and she blinked, probably because she had forgotten she let them stay. Or because she was going to request more money for their extended stay.

"I'll be back," he said rather than offering her a greeting. The woman annoyed him, but he wasn't entirely sure why. "If my friend comes down looking for me, the girl with blue hair? Tell her to wait here, that I'll be back."

The woman smiled, "Alright."

He gave her a suspicious once over before opening the inn's door and instantly regretting it.

"Oh, why not?" he complained out loud. "Send the parade right past the damn inn…"

* * *

Cuore groggily opened her eyes, taking a minute to fully realize where she was. A few moments ago she'd been somewhere between a pleasant dream about wildflowers and a hellish attack on an unidentified city somewhere.

"_At least it wasn't another weird dream about the Lunarians_," she thought, bitterly amused.

There was a ruckus in the town below, a telling sign that the festival had begun. Not only would it be annoying to navigate through the streets, but it meant the Mysidians wouldn't be working on the kidnapping case.

"_Up to us, then_." she thought, rolling over.

Assuming Kieran wasn't going to ignore her or leave her stranded here. After the most recent events, she had a nagging feeling all the progress they had made in friendship was about to regress five steps back.

She sighed and glanced around the room, realizing that she might have already been right.

Cuore sat up, puzzled, and was only slightly relieved when she saw he'd left his swallow. At least he hadn't completely abandoned her. But where had he gone? And why?

"_Why didn't he wake me up?_" she complained, sliding out of bed and shivering. The inn needed work.

Deciding to take a quick look downstairs, since she wasn't going to go back to sleep, Cuore left the room behind and hand-combed her hair with her fingers on the way down. It was going to be a nightmare to deal with when she had a proper brush.

"_Maybe I should cut it_…" she thought, chewing her bottom lip. It was a thought she'd been considering for some time now. The long hair only added to her Maenad appearance, but she was also strangely and vainly fond of her locks.

She did, however, wish she shared Leo's hair color.

The downstairs portion of the inn was empty, and the only sounds that she could hear were leaking in from the parade outside. Apparently it had passed right by their doorstep.

Cuore wandered through the dining area and into the entrance hall where she spotted the woman who had rented them their room.

The innkeeper smiled brightly and snapped her book closed, "If you're looking for your…friend, he left about an hour ago. Told me to tell you to wait here."

Cuore frowned, "Oh…"

The woman gave he a once over, "My dear, you look terrible. Are you alright? Would you like tea?"

She chuckled dryly, "Tea? Yes…yes that might be nice, thank you."

The innkeeper nodding and came from around behind the check-in station and much to Cuore's confusion and discomfort, wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She guided her back into the dining area as she spoke softly. "You sit, I'll get us tea and you can tell me what's going on. You both looked so…ruffled when you came in here."

Cuore frowned, but sat at the woman's prompting, and waited patiently for her return. She had no desire to talk with a complete stranger, but the tea had sounded nice.

"_When was the last time I drank anything_?" she thought, trying to remember. If it was taking her this long too remember, she was due for something.

It didn't take long for the innkeeper to return, and when she did, Cuore glanced up at her curiously, "Don't you have…duties? I would hate to take up your time…"

"Nothing to do here. All the guests are off at the festival." she replied, still smiling.

Cuore watched her pour the tea into china cups, still frowning, "Then why don't you follow suit?"

"Oh, I like to have time to read."

She supposed she could understand that.

"_This woman is unsettling to me_." Anima said, cautious.

Cuore nodded ever so slightly, "_You and me both. I just…don't know what it is_…"

"_Stay alert_," the Eidolon warned.

"_I will_."

The innkeeper sat and folded her hands on the table top, "So, what is going on? Why did you look as though you'd done battle with some nasty beast? You look tired today,"

Cuore wrapped her hands around the tea cup, trying to steal warmth and weighed her options.

Lie? To what end.

Tell the truth? She supposed it didn't matter…

"My brother is missing. I'm trying to find him." she finally said. It was a simple answer, but it would do.

The woman's expression shifted to sympathy, but almost a spilt second too late, Cuore observed. She'd spent hours watching humans and their reactions. She knew that one was false.

"_She's up to something_."

"_No duh_," Midgardsormr said. "_Maybe you should leave_,"

She narrowed her eyes slightly, "_No, I want to know what her game is._"

"…_Be careful, Cuore_." Anima said, sounding anxious.

The woman turned her tea cup around and around in her saucer, but made no moves to actually drink it, "You're not from Mysidia, are you. And neither is your traveling companion."

Cuore shook her head, "No, we're not."

There was a somewhat awkward pause and Cuore hesitated to speak, not sure what was going on. But then she smelled something and made a face.

"What kind of tea is this?" she asked, squinting at it.

The woman blinked, "Tonberry."

"_Then why do I smell almonds_?" she thought.

Cuore sighed and shook her head, lifting her gaze to catch the woman's eye, "Who did you lose?"

The innkeeper blinked again, looking confused, "I beg your pardon?"

"Who did you lose in Ramuh's attack on Mysidia?" Cuore repeated and clarified.

The result was instant; the woman stiffened, and her hands grasp at the edge of the table, knuckles turning white. She spat her answer out, "My son."

Cuore nodded and glanced away for a moment, before turning back and pushing her cup away. "Next time you wish to poison someone, you might want to choose an odorless toxin. Cyanide is easy to come by, but it's not the stealthiest."

The woman looked petrified and shocked, as if she were both terrified for her life and surprised that her plan hadn't worked. And underneath all of that, there was still cold hatred in her eyes.

That, Cuore suspected, wouldn't have faded even if she'd been stupid enough to drink the poisoned tea.

She stood, assuming that she should leave, and walked away, back towards the stairs. Cuore stopped at the first stair, however, and closed her eyes.

"For whatever its worth, I am sorry for your loss."

* * *

The item shop was bustling with tourists, some of Kieran's least favorite people, and in the midst of all of that, the store owner was trying to overcharge him.

"How much is this potion?" Kieran asked for the third time.

The man in white mage robes sighed, "Sir, asking me again is not going to change the price,"

"I'm just curious why it's more here, then in Baron." he said, trying to stay calm. A woman bumped into him from behind; he glared at her.

"The exchange rate of currency is-" the shopkeeper began.

Kieran rolled his eyes, "Don't even start with me. You think I don't know the exchange rates? I'm paying with Baron dollars which exchanges for a higher Gil rate here, in Mysidia, because our economy is better!"

The man scowled at him. A couple other customers glanced over to see what the commotion was.

"So," Kieran continued, "I would like to know why you think, just because of a festival, you can charge more and steal from tourists. International Trade Guidelines section five through eight are very clear on the rate to charge for potions and other such items because they are considered magical in origin and are thusly covered under the new world laws that all items of magical origin are to be bought and sold at fair market prices in the entire world. This was designed to prevent merchant guilds from starting bidding wars like they did five decades ago, and the law was approved by _all_ the nations of the world, including yours, and their subsequent merchant guilds."

The man was glaring at him and Kieran held up his hands, "So, how much is this potion?"

"Get out of my store." he replied, pointing to the door.

He scowled at him, "Fine, I didn't want to buy from you anyway. You probably sell illegal elixirs, too!"

The man looked scandalized by the accusation, but Kieran was fed up trying to deal with him, annoyed he was breaking a dozen laws and overcharging poor, hapless tourists who didn't know any better.

Why did some traders have to be so unethical?

He turned around and was prepared to slipped through a couple of people who had been in line behind him, wanting to buy trinkets of some sort to remember their time here, but stopped when he saw Cuore watching him.

She looked amused, "Making friends again, are we?"

"Always," he replied sarcastically, shooting one more glare at the shopkeeper. The man pretended not to notice.

Kieran frowned at her, "I thought I told that inn lady to tell you to wait for me."

Cuore averted her gaze, "Yes, she passed that message along but she also made it clear she wished me to leave."

He paused, reading between the lines of what she was saying. "Wait, did she say something to you?"

Cuore shrugged, as if it didn't matter, but then she was jarred by someone walking by and she flinched, looking annoyed.

Kieran walked over and steered her towards the exit by her shoulder. Once she was moving and they exited the busy shop to the equally busy streets beyond, he let his hand slide from her shoulder to grasp her hand and tug her along.

"Come on, let's go find somewhere not as crowded." he suggested, bending low to speak to her.

Cuore frowned and looked around, "I'm inclined to believe no such place exists within the city while their festival is going on."

He had to agree with how busy it was, but this is why Mysidia wasn't bankrupt as a nation yet; tourism.

They wove through the busy streets and back allies of the city, slipping between groups of people talking, laughing, dancing and racing by vendors before they could try and sell off their wares.

Kieran wasn't sure why Mysidia sold figurines of beloved idols and leaders to tourists, but he also didn't know much about Mysidian culture. There seemed to be an overabundance of odd novelty clothing items and bells.

They rounded a corner and came face to face with one such vendor, a man with a wide assortment of bells he was rolling around in a trolley.

"Bells?" he asked cheerfully, holding up five bells of varying shape and design.

Cuore made a face, "Do we appear to be in need of bells?"

"Well yes, if you don't already have one!" he readily replied.

She looked confused and Kieran shook his head and dragged her with him, past the pushy man, "No thanks, sell your wares to some other tourist."

Undeterred and apparently taking the advice to heart, he stopped another group of people behind them.

"Bells?!"

Cuore giggled as they continued their trek, though what she found so hilarious, Kieran wasn't sure. He also wasn't sure he wanted to ask.

"I know of a little item shop on the way out of town. We'll stop there before leave." he informed her over his shoulder as they walked.

"I am capable of following you without tactile contact," she told him, though her fingers didn't uncoil from his.

He frowned and let go of her hand, hoping she was right and wasn't going to get lost in the crowd. Cuore hopped a few steps forward and fell into step beside him as soon as the crowd thinned enough to do so. Being out of the business district and away from the parade made it less busy.

"Here," she said, drawing his attention as she swung his swallow around. "You left this at the inn."

Kieran took it from her and paused for a moment in the street to settle it on his back, "Thanks."

She nodded and flicked a stray hair out of her face. He realized she was staring so he stared back, finally frowning. "What?"

Cuore hesitated, "Are we…I mean…before, at the inn…"

He could gather what she was trying to ask, and honestly he wasn't sure he knew the answer to her question either. "I don't know, are we?"

She looked disappointed and murmured, "I would very much like to be friends, but we seem to always have something that keeps us from becoming so."

She looked back the way they came, "If you wish to return to Baron, then go. I won't hold it against you. As I said, I'm very grateful for your help, but I also know that helping me might cost you dearly. I'm not foolish."

He opened his mouth to say something, but Cuore continued in a dejected tone of voice, "If I overstepped some boundary I'm not aware of, or did some sort of social taboo then I'm sorry-"

"Cuore," he interrupted, setting a hand on her shoulder, "I'm not mad at you, if that's what you're asking."

She blinked and then shyly admitted, "Yes, that was what I was asking but I wasn't sure how to phrase it."

He shrugged, "Look, let's just figure out where your brother is, okay?"

Cuore smiled, and nodded, "Alright."

He was just glad that had been easier then he thought it would be. Their relationship was so brittle that one misstep or incorrect comment and he was worried it was over.

But if things were alright for now, then he would take the small victory.

* * *

Cuore waited patiently outside the store while Kieran purchased more supplies for their trip. It would take the better part of the day, she suspected, to reach their destination and as much as hated to admit it, he was right. They needed supplies.

She sighed and watched people bustle to and fro, selling, buying, laughing, running.

All of them were blissfully unaware of children going missing, of monster fighting clubs and evil gangs. She wondered what it would be like, to be so ignorant of the world around her.

She was used to having knowledge at her fingertips instantly, she was used to knowing anything and everything, and things she didn't know, she quickly learned.

But what would it be like to be normal?

"_Would I even like it_?" she wondered, curious. She'd always wanted to be normal, like all the other humans she met. But maybe she wouldn't even like it…

The bell chimed overhead and she glanced over her shoulder to see Kieran exit the shop. He nodded to her as he stepped off the porch, "Now that was fairly priced,"

She smiled halfway, "I wasn't aware there was a set price for potions,"

"Potions, ethers, phoenix down…they were group together after the first world war when the economy changed so drastically. You have to set a fair price, no matter where you are. It's unlawful to try and sell at a discount, and undercut the rest of the world, on those types of goods." he explained.

They began their trip towards the city gates, which were in view, and Cuore curiously blinked at him, "So, who sets the prices?"

"The International Trading Council. They take direct advice from each country's merchant guilds."

She nodded slowly, thinking it made sense though she'd never heard about this topic before. "So, even with the exchange rate of currency between countries, the price is fixed?"

"Yes," Kieran replied, "It may seem higher or lower in certain parts, but you're really paying the same price, once you factor all that exchange Gil rate in and everything…"

"And…the prices stay fixed forever? Do they ever fluctuate?" she asked next, growing more and more interested.

They passed under the gates and out into the chilly landscape beyond as Kieran answered her question as if it were obvious. "No, they fluctuate all the time. It depends on market conditions."

Cuore pursed her lips, "What conditions?"

He frowned, "Supply and demand."

She just stared at him blankly. Apparently economics were not her strong subject.

"How do I explain this…" he muttered before nodding and speaking up once more. His tone was surprisingly patient, more so then she expected it to be considering she was pestering him.

"Supply and demand. The best example I can use is after the first world war, the price of potions plummeted. The demand went down."

Cuore's brow furrowed, "Why?"

"The world wasn't going to end, so why buy an item that will keep you alive?" he shot back.

She took the information in and Kieran took the lead along a winding path through some uninteresting grasslands.

"When the demand went down, prices had to go down too because merchants had too many of them. The supply was higher than the demand. Prices went back up slightly with the whole second moon thing, but it was a little late. By the time people realized there was a need for the items, the crisis was largely over. Right now we have a balanced system since supply hasn't outweighed demand and vice-versa."

He paused on the path and gave her a sheepish look, "Sorry. Ceodore tells me I go off on tangents about things no one cares about."

Cuore shook her head, completely absorbed with the information she had just heard. "No!" she assured him quickly, "It was fascinating."

Kieran looked skeptical so she elaborated, smiling slightly at him, "I have never thought much about trading or items at all. Your outlook and knowledge on the subject was…extraordinary."

He was giving her a funny look, but Cuore just smiled back, glad to have learned something new. It was rare she met someone that knew something she did not, and rarer still, that they could have conversations about anything.

She had to admit that she never would have pegged Kieran to know firstly about airships, but also about commercial trade. She admired his logic and practicality, and now she was impressed by his knowledge.

Phoenix may have been right to at least give him a chance.

They started to walk again and she tipped her head to stare at him, "How did you know all of this, anyway?"

"My family ran an item shop, remember?" Kieran said, giving her a funny look. "Kaiden was better at business then I ever was but that doesn't mean I didn't pick anything up."

Cuore boldly spoke up, cautious but deciding she needed to bridge this gap somehow. "You never…talk about them."

He just shrugged, and she dropped it, too worried to push him and have him lash out. She rather liked getting along with him. It was much better than them hurting each other.

They continued their trek, so far not running into any monsters on the way, and Cuore was lost in thought over all the new data she had acquired when Kieran spoke up, unexpectedly.

"Can I ask you something, now?"

She glanced up at him and nodded her agreement.

"It's about what you said to Dalton," he said, frowning and looking uncomfortable with asking at all. "About not being a citizen. You were just saying that to be sassy, right?"

Cuore smiled sadly and stopped walking to stare upwards, and then let her gaze wander as she thought how she wanted to craft her answer. She could see Ordeals to the east if she looked hard enough.

"I was telling Dalton the truth. There was nothing he could do to touch me."

Kieran frowned in a puzzled fashion, "But…you are a citizen. I mean, you're the _princess_."

She shook her head, "Only to my parents."

He still looked confused so she hopped down from the slight incline she'd been standing on and explained in a more thorough fashion.

"Last year, when I returned from the Feymarch, the council had voted to remove my claim to the throne. I wasn't overly concerned. Leo will make a much better ruler then I ever would have. But in the process, they also effectively revoked my citizenship. I'm not a citizen of Eblan and I can't even apply to become one. I have no birth certificate to transfer, and as much as I love my mother, she never adopted me in any official way."

Cuore shrugged, "It's too late now to do anything about it, so, I'm stuck. For all purposes I don't exist."

He frowned, "What about being adopted by, I don't know, the _king_?"

She chuckled dryly, "Again, only if you talk to the right people. It was never _official_ either. You can't adopt someone who wasn't born, apparently…"

She wandered up the path a little more, "So, no, I told Dalton the truth."

"That's stupid."

Cuore started to laugh at his simple assessment of the situation, agreeing wholeheartedly but nevertheless highly amused by his word choice.

"Yes, I suppose it is." she agreed.

Kieran gave her a sidelong glance, "But I have to admit I loved seeing the look on his face,"

She grinned, "I understand political games. I simply chose not to play them."

"And you said you wouldn't be a good ruler," he quipped.

Cuore chuckled and brushed her hair back behind her ears, frowning after a moment when she recalled that conversation. "Why didn't you say anything? Dalton treated you rather poorly, and I may not know you very well, but I would have assumed you would have said _something_ to put him in his place."

He shrugged and picked his way carefully over a patch of icy terrain, "Why bother? Dalton is a jerk."

"Still…you'd never let…say, _me_, talk to you that way," she pressed, frowning at his back.

Kieran stopped to smirk at her, "Well, you're a different case."

"How so?" she asked, curious and slightly indignant.

He just shrugged and she frowned at him, but let it slide in favor of continuing their friendly, if not somewhat guarded, conversation.

The landscape was slowly altering the further they walked, heading closer and closer to the ocean. It grew colder as well, and the grassland became rockier, littering with boulders are first, and then gradually changing to small stones.

It would be evening before they actually made it to the coastline, and Cuore nervously fidgeted with the strap that held her katanas to her back. She was glad when some foolish imps tried to ambush them.

The distraction was short lived, however, and they moved on, the ground slowly sloping downward. Soon the grass would turn to pebbles, and then sand.

"You were right, by the way." Kieran said after hours of silence.

Cuore looked up, somewhat startled by his voice. "About what?" she asked.

He glanced over his shoulder at her briefly, though his gaze was quick to return to the path before them. "About my suspension. It did have to do with what happened in your room."

"That's stupid." she said, imitating his earlier words. "You didn't have anything to do with that."

"Are you sure?"

She made a face, slightly annoyed, "I fully trust that if you wanted to say something to me, you'd say it to my face. That has never been the issue between us."

That sarcastic comment earned her a slight smile from Kieran, who nodded at her comment, which prompted her to continue.

"I'm sorry."

"Why?" he asked, slowing his pace so that she fell into step beside him. "It's not your fault."

Cuore fidgeted, uneasy with being responsible for his suspension. "It doesn't seem fair."

"Come on Cuore," he said. "If you were being logical, you'd suspect me too."

She had to admit he made a point. Their history made him a prime suspect for any possible hate crimes against her, but she still found it unfair they would automatically assume he'd done anything. Besides, vandalism wasn't Kieran's style in the least.

She hopped over a pitfall in the road, and he snorted, "It occurs to me we probably should've gotten clearance to visit this place,"

Cuore grinned and spun around to walk backwards, hands behind her back coyly, "Why?"

Kieran gave her a funny look and she just chuckled.

"I don't exist and you can't get any more suspended then you already are, what are they going to do to us?"

He smirked again.

* * *

The divine delta was unremarkable, but Cuore wasn't sure what she'd been expecting. The coastline was only a few miles away, but here, on a slim outcropping of rock that jutted out over the ocean, there was nothing more than a metal plate in the ground.

"I was expecting more." Kieran commented, looking unimpressed.

Cuore shook her head, "It's a ConTriSa HalEn."

"Translation?" he asked.

She paused and then wandered over, "Safe house? Store house? Something like that…"

She knelt down and studied the metal plate from a moment, noting where the Scorpion Gang had clearly used some sort of explosives to blast through the locking censors to gain access.

"The Lunarians had a couple of these all around the world, where they stored items to be used in their construction projects. The devices here were probably leftovers from the building of the Phen'Doe Mar."

"Leftovers the Scorpion Gang now has," Kieran complained, coming to stand by her. "What did they do, blast this open?"

She nodded and brushed aside some of the ash and soot to uncover Lunarian text below that she squinted at and then read aloud, fully translated. "Danger. Do not enter."

"If they wanted people to heed that, they should have written it in something we can read," he commented.

Cuore shot him a brief grin before flinging the cover open to reveal a metal ladder that went downward into the darkness.

"Underground?" he inquired.

She nodded and gestured to it, "Shall we?"

"We've come this far."

Cuore had no problem going first, since her eyesight would not only adjust more readily to the dark, but also since she knew more about Lunarians then Kieran.

Once her feet hit the bottom of the ladder, she stepped into the dark and spoke aloud, hoping they had imprinted voice commands within even their storage outposts.

"VicTa Cie,"

The lights flickered on and she winced at the brightness, taking a moment to look around. The place wasn't too big, and was really just an unimpressive metal box of a room filled with tables where there should have been Lunarian tech.

Now they were mostly empty. Only a few half parts and broken items were scattered every which way.

Cuore took the scene in with a frown, as Kieran dropped from the ladder beside her. "Well, they certainly had a field day in here," he commented.

She nodded absently and walked the length of a table, eyeing the leftovers and wondering just what the Scorpion Gang had taken. In the wrong hands, Lunarian tech could be very dangerous, even for the wielder.

"I hope that they only received worthless trinkets and tools and nothing dangerous." she muttered.

Kieran was looking over a type of induction coil, "You and me both, but why'd they leave some things? I mean sure, this is sort of worthless by itself, but you'd think they would just steal everything…"

"They were likely in the dark," she replied flatly.

A panel on the wall made her frown and she walked over, tapping the display. It powered on with a series of beeps and she grinned. "The mainframe is still active, even after all this time. Let's see…"

She attempted a few basic commands but found that the system was slightly damaged, and was not appreciative of her access codes. She pulled the panel's cover off to reveal the crystalline core below and manually input her demands.

Finally the computer gave her access and she was surprised when another door whooshed open beside her.

"Interesting," she commented, peeking inside.

Upon entering, she squinted at the darkness and once again spoke aloud to the computer; "VicTa Cie."

Rather than the lights powering on like before, the room slowly began to glow in a greenish haze. Other colors began to swirl into the mix; blues and browns, mixing and clumping together until they formed a map of the area.

Cuore smiled slowly in wonderment, "It's a Set'Tet Su'S!"

"A what?"

She glanced over her shoulder, having forgotten Kieran was with her. He was eyeing the light show with surprisingly less excitement then her.

"It's a type of holographic map, condensed into a sphere." she explained, gesturing to the domed room. "The Lunarians use them instead of paper maps. It's all visual,"

"This map is outdated." Kieran stated flatly, pointing at part of the coastline. "If I'm reading this right, Mysidia is up there, but then what's this stripe of land?"

"Part of the land that was lost during the earthquake of the Lunarian's time stamp of nine beta gamma." she answered, nodding. "That would be consistent with the completion of the Serpent's Road."

Despite the landmass looking different, it was still the same area. Ordeals would be seen as well as the city of Mysidia, though it appeared smaller in the image.

Cuore snapped her fingers and the image pulled back, as if zooming out of the localized region. It took a minute to focus, for all the colors and patterns to right themselves, but when they did she could see the entire world.

Certain areas looked different, and there were minor errors, but it was easily recognizable.

Except for three lines of pure white light that stood out in stark contrast to the vivid, natural colors.

She frowned as she looked closer, "What…are those?"

Kieran didn't seem to get what she was pointing to so she ran her hand through one of the streams of white light, blurring the image for a moment. "That. What is that?"

"It looks like…" he tilted his head, "Well, there's another where the Serpent's Road is,"

Cuore nodded slowly, "Yes, I see that one, but then…"

She trailed off, blinking. There were two more lines; one led from the Tower of Babil to Baron, and another went to what was now Troia, from the tower.

"Do you have a world map?" she whispered, tracing the lines with her fingers.

Kieran nodded and took a moment to rummage through his bag before he handed her the rolled up map.

Cuore stared more a moment more at the image, daring to hope she might have uncovered something of importance, before she rushed from the Set'Tet Su'S room and tossed the map onto one of the unoccupied tables.

"They would have had to have gotten around somehow, and airships probably would have unnerved the locals in that time period," she justified, running her fingers along the map of today's world.

Cuore smiled and looked up, "They constructed additional Phen'Doe Mars."

Kieran had already gotten where she was going and drawn ink lines on the map, connecting the dots. "It makes sense," he commented.

Cuore plucked the writing implement from his fingers and drew more lines, creating a system of straight passages to each crystal, the tower, and Baron. It made a circuit throughout the entire world.

"A network." she murmured, "A network of passages and channels to transport matter…"

"Why have we never found them?" Kieran asked, though she noted he didn't seem disbelieving of their discovery.

She shook her head, "I don't know. Perhaps they were damaged? Or…maybe the network was never completed? Zeromus was never a part of this aspect of the Terraforming Project, so my knowledge is limited on Phen'Doe Mars."

Kieran smacked a flat palm against the table, "That's how they're transporting the illegal elixirs!"

Cuore gave him a funny look and he tossed his hands up as he explained, "I _told_ Kain it was something odd, because we could never find any ship logs or records of any kind that would suggest they were using sea or air transport. I bet the black market is using these channels to transport their goods."

Cuore nodded slowly, "It makes sense, I suppose. If they found them and figured out how to use them…No one would be able to track them, since we never knew about them anyway."

He shook his head, "Smart little bastards,"

"Indeed." she agreed, glancing back at the Set'Tet Su'S, "I wonder if we can somehow activate these channels…"

"Can't you just…I don't know, use the Serpent's Road and search through its crystal core to figure out if it can connect to the other ones?" Kieran said, looking puzzled. "Doesn't it have some sort of record inside?"

Cuore stared at him for a moment, and he shrugged one shoulder, "Or…not?"

"No," she said suddenly, smiling at him, "No, I can. That's exactly what I'll do. I just…you grasp these theories rather well,"

"Thanks…I think,"

She rolled her eyes and pushed the map back at him, "I had intended that as a compliment."

Without another word she deactivated the visual map, not sure if she wanted anyone else to gain access to it or not. It wasn't dangerous, but she still felt somehow protective of it. The Lunarians had been a lot of things, but they had incredible advancements to their names.

However, with this planet's current rate of development, their 'gifts' were more like poison.

They left the bunker after Cuore had shut down the computer to keep others from reaping whatever was left if they should ever return.

Once they had climbed back out, it was well into the evening. The sun was setting, casting unsettling looking shadows across the ground, though parts of the sky were already a dark azure.

Cuore slammed the metal door down and considered using magic to seal it such when they heard a voice behind them.

"I had expected someone to return here, but I wasn't expecting you."

Reflex made Cuore fast in drawing her blades and spinning around, flicking one to an underhand grip. Kieran followed suit, a second behind, and they faced their possible attacker.

He was clearly Mysidian, if the gray robes were anything to go by, but he wasn't anyone Cuore recognized, and she frowned, wondering who he was. He didn't appear overly sinister, but something about him made her skin crawl. Maybe it was just the cackle of magic she could sense around him, or his unnaturally youthful appearance when he had to be older then she was.

"And you are?" Kieran asked sharply, glaring at him.

The man smiled in an almost disarming way, "I'm not surprised my face is less then identifiable to you, but perhaps my name will ring a bell?"

He bowed slightly, "Zethan Knox,"

Kieran made a face that was halfway between surprise and skepticism, "Leader of the Magicite?"

"The one and only," Zethan said, grinning.

Cuore frowned, not sure why she should really care one way or the other when he smiled at her.

"As I said, I was expecting to find technology grabbing _vermin_ skulking about, not the famed daughter of stars, last of her kind and adopted princess."

She blinked, "You know who I am,"

A statement, not a question.

Zethan nodded, still smiling, "Naturally."

Cuore was wary of this encounter, and also impatient. They'd long since proven that the Magicite had nothing to do with the kidnapped children, and Cuore only cared to find her brother. Mysidia could deal with this own terrorist group.

Judging by the way Kieran circled around behind her and then stopped at her side almost protectively, she gathered he wasn't overly comfortable either.

"As I said," the man mentioned, "I was not expecting to meet you here of all places. Looking for your brother, are you?"

Cuore's eyes widened, "What do you-"

"I know all about you," he interrupted smoothly, smiling at her again.

Her hands gripped the handles of her blades tightly, "Do you know where my brother is?"

"No, I haven't the slightest clue. I came here hoping that some of those _vagrant scavengers_ you call the Scorpion Gang would return to the scene of the crime." Zethan explained, shrugging.

"You really do hate then, don't you?" Kieran said, sounding a little surprised.

Zethan regarded him coolly, "I was in the middle of a conversation, here. Do not interrupt."

Kieran glared at him, but Cuore was already asking another question, "How did you know my brother was missing, then?"

"I promise you, I know nothing of his whereabouts." Zethan said, resting a hand over his heart as if to swear to it. "I do hope you find him, however. At least his half-blood makes for good magic."

"What is it that you want?" she asked sharply, confused and suspicious.

Zethan blinked a few times, "You are asking what me and my followers want? You're asking what the motives of the Magicite are?"

She nodded.

He seemed delighted to have been asked and spoke in a voice filled with so much charisma Cuore wondered if he practiced his speech often.

"The Magicite is dedicated to making the world a better place. Magic is the ultimate finale of the evolutionary link. Not everyone is given it's gift. Those that are blessed are superior. We are the future rulers and leaders of our world. Those that cling to devices of an all but dead race of outsiders are a blight upon our world. They are venom."

Cuore made a face, "You hate the Scorpion Gang because they use Lunarian technology, yet you cast Lunarian spells Isn't that a contradiction? That isn't true magic, you know. It's learned."

"Not everyone can learn to use this magic. They have to have the _spark_ to begin with. Those of us that do are better than the rest of the world."

She frowned, "You're insane."

"So I've been told," Zethan chuckled. "Yet I am still here. Mysidia doesn't even realize how many of its citizens are members of the Magicite. They don't realize how high our power goes."

Kieran shrugged, "Who cares?"

The man sighed and shot him a quick glare, "Would you stay out of this?"

"What, are you mad I don't have magic?" he taunted.

Zethan snarled lightly, finally displaying something other than calm collection. "Yes, it does. The fact that _she_ would even bother to travel with someone like you is nauseating."

Kieran stiffened, and Cuore caught his arm before he could take a step forward. Glaring at Zethan, she snapped back acidly, "I would trust him with my life. Magic doesn't automatically make someone better; it just makes them more powerful. And even that isn't always true."

The man smiled at her again, "Oh, but isn't it? The powerful rise to power, whether or not they plan it that way."

"What does power gain you?" she said, tipping her head to one side. "Why try so hard to get it, then, Zethan? If you and your group are so strong, why aren't you in charge already?"

"Who says we aren't?" he retorted with a wide grin. "You forget, I told you Mysidia doesn't realize how much we influence everything. Even now, our members are spread beyond the borders of the magical capital of the world. We are everywhere, and the longer people deny our presence, the stronger we become."

Still unimpressed, she frowned and looked him up and down. "To what end?"

"Someone has to do something before magic is gone from this world once and for all!" he exclaimed, finally breaking his façade. "People inbreed with lesser beings devoid of magical potential and we get diminished returns each time. Those with magic let people with nothing but sharp metal objects walk all over them for no reason. Mysidia acts like they care about magic and its future but they are hypocritical idiots who can't even function without help from outsiders."

Cuore and Kieran exchanged a glance. She didn't need to use her telepathy to know they were thinking the same thing.

Zethan Knox really was insane.

"So to answer your question, the end game of all this is to return the world to how it should be. Magic is absolute power, and I seek to remind people of that." Zethan spat.

"Magic is a tool, just like swords and technology." Cuore replied decisively.

"Oh, but any _idiot_ can learn to pick up a weapon and fight," Zethan said, gesturing to Kieran, who glared at him. "But those of us born with magic, now there is a true gift. You can't learn it or acquire it falsely. It's a blessing from birth onward."

"Tell that to the summoners of old," Cuore snapped back. "I'm pretty sure people acquired plenty from them without being born with magic."

Zethan chuckled, "An answer for everything, then? Somehow I knew I would like you, destined one."

"Don't call me that," she complained.

The nickname had never bothered her before, but hearing it from him, a man who was somehow more sickening then Augus and the Dahl family put together made her want to gag.

He grinned, "Apologies, I keep forgetting that I know more about you, then you do of me,"

Her eyes narrowed, "How so?"

"I've been keeping tabs on you since I first heard that one of the mysterious maidens from the second moon was brought to our planet. You weren't easy to track, mind you, and I had to be careful that the High Summoner never noticed. And then you moved to Eblan…"

He finished with an eye roll but Cuore was more confused than anything else. And if she was being honest, a little disturbed to find out that someone had been watching her so closely.

"Why?" she finally asked.

Zethan blinked and replied with a tone that suggested the answer was obvious, "Because, you're a perfection of life, aren't you? You were created as the ultimate weapon, created with magical talent that no living being on this planet could ever hope to match."

Cuore bristled, "I'm not-"

"A weapon? You command spirits of magic, spells not taught by the Lunarians dance from your fingertips. You were even trained in non-magic arts. Do you really think you aren't the world's greatest asset? Whoever has your favor has the world at their mercy."

Cuore couldn't decide what emotion to focus on. On the one hand, Zethan spoke only truth; she was powerful beyond measure, and if she was as mindlessly loyal as her sisters were, then she would be a weapon of mass destruction.

On the other hand, she hated him for even suggesting she might do such things, or that anyone else in the world might order her too.

She wasn't a weapon.

Even the Maenads weren't weapons; they were seekers.

Before she could retort, Kieran spoke up with a heated tone, "Hey, Zethan, why don't you get to the point of why you're here before I impale you and leave the Magicite without a leader."

The man chuckled, "You should stay out of this conversation, though I am amused that you think your any match for me."

"Why don't we find out?" Kieran snapped, hand tightening around the handle of his weapon.

Cuore held out her arm, "No, don't." Turning to Zethan, she scowled at him, "What do you want? You're wasting my time."

"Direct," he observed, ever calm. "Alright, to get straight to the point; I've been making sure I know exactly where you were at any given time because I want you to join me."

She just stared at him, puzzled.

At her odd look, he continued. "You can't convince me you feel at home where you are right now. You know what people think of you, what they say. They fear you already, and you haven't even done anything. But they know what I know as well. You could rule this world. I want you at my side, working to make this world better. Your talents are wasted, your very being is disregarded. I-"

Cuore wasn't even really listening to what he was talking about, all she knew was that he was still wasting her time.

She could have used her katanas and probably cut him down in seconds, but if Zethan loved magic so much, then she would play that game with him.

"Ark blast." she stated calmly, pointing at the man's right side. This time she used only a single lightning bolt rather than a cluster, and she directed it to merely graze him enough to catch his attention and make him shut up.

Zethan yelped, and glared at her, and she just frowned at him, "You are in my way, Zethan Knox. I am on a mission to find my brother. You will never tempt me with promises of power, but I don't expect to convince you of that anytime soon."

Surprisingly, he smiled, still holding his wounded arm. "I would relish the chance to test your magic,"

Kieran shook his head beside her, "Bad idea…"

Cuore wasn't sure if he was serious, and he quickly cast a few spells in quick succession, proving that he was at least a capable mage.

Shell was among the protective barriers he rose to defend himself, before switching to the offensive.

Cuore was oddly composed for this battle. Unlike with weapons, there was less she needed to observe and strategize for, there were only so many spells Zethan could cast, after all.

The first black magic spell he launched at her was ice, which told her much of how he fought.

Most mages went straight for fire first, or in her mother's case, defaulted to lightning in this situation. Ice was a bit sneakier, a little harder to counter or dodge.

But ice also didn't move like flames or thunder; it was direct.

Cuore sidestepped on impulse, light on the balls of her feet as she twirled away from the icy spikes erupting from the ground. They were linear, predictable.

But it put distance between them, made it so she would never be able to attack him with her weapons before he could fire off another spell.

"_He has the abilities of a sage_," she remarked inwardly, frowning. "_And he thinks his battles through. Annoying, but not entirely impressive…_"

As he hurriedly cast an incantation for another combative spell, Cuore turned and grabbed Kieran's arm, tugging him a step closer.

At his odd look she explained, "Remain in the summoning circle."

Cuore was a faster caster then any mage she had ever met, and even the lengthy song required to summon an Eidolon was over just as Zethan's cadence quickened. It signaled the end of his spell, but she was one step ahead of him.

He really had no idea what he was getting himself into.

"Creature of light and protection, come and guard me against destruction! Carbuncle, I summon thee!"

There was a flash of multicolored light that gave way to a cheerful squeal as the mint green, feline looking Carbuncle burst onto the scene.

His jeweled forehead flashed brightly with red light and a chime could be heard of the magical variety.

The light wove around them, shimmering into a protective shield.

Zethan's thundaga spell crashed against it harmlessly. Carbuncle landed lightly on the ground, standing protectively in front of Cuore as his jewel continued to glimmer.

"Bounce it back at him, Carbuncle," Cuore said, sheathing her blades.

The little creature trilled at her and squeezed his large eyes closed. The ruby red barrier flashed, and in an instant, the lightning bolts reflected back to the caster.

Cuore didn't see Zethan's reaction because she was already chanting again.

It was usually a foolish idea to summon more than one Eidolon at a time. Every summoner knew that.

While in this world, the Eidolons were directly connected to their summoner. The two beings shared energy while bonded.

An Eidolon was only as strong in this world, as the person who summoned them.

It wasn't so much physical or even magical strength so much as a strength of _will_.

To summon more than one Eidolon at a time spilt the summoner's resources and increased the chance of death on all fronts.

Still, Cuore only needed her Eidolons for a moment at a time, and she had confidence in her abilities and theirs.

"High seraph, with holy light bring nigh defeat to my enemies! Ultima, I summon thee!"

Just as Carbuncle's barrier dropped, Ultima was on the scene and she nodded to Cuore; no words were needed. The high seraph knew why she had been called.

She raised her hand and light swirled at her palm as her robotic voice intoned; "Dispel,"

Zethan wasn't stupid, and as he staggered from his own magic backlash, trying to stay on his feet, his eyes widened as all his protective spells melted from Ultima's magic.

Whatever Cuore struck with could end his life, but she saw no purpose to do so.

He was trouble, but Mysidia could deal with its own problems.

"Inferno!"

Fires sprung to life in columns of reds and oranges, surrounding the mage and touching him just enough to singe his clothing. More than burn him, Cuore was hoping to drain his oxygen supply. It was faster, and in the end, less painful, then burning him to a crisp with her magic.

As the fires slowly died, Zethan stumbled a few steps before collapsing in a less then graceful manner to the ground.

With a flick of her wrist she recalled her Eidolons and strode forward, stopping to stand a few inches from Zethan's fallen form. He groaned and lifted himself up enough to look at her.

She frowned, "I will say this _once_ and _only_ once. I will never join you. I have no desire to partake in your diluted and foolish errands. Pray we never cross paths again, Zethan Knox, for the next time we do, I may not be so merciful."

Cuore turned without another word and walked on, intent on saving her brother. Nothing else mattered to her.

If only she could get some of Zethan's implications out of her head…

* * *

**Author's Note:** There was a lot to cover in this one!

Alright, let's get this lengthy note underway...

Gil. I refuse to believe that the world of IV has a one-world money system and that every country uses the same form of money. We don't have that now as a world, and I can even maybe buy it for TAY. But the original game? People didn't even talk! So no, I don't believe it. But since they all say "Gil" I've decided that "Gil" is actually just a term like "Money" or "Cash" and not the actual coinage.

Potions. I was looking up items on the FF Wiki and I noticed that the price of potions from the original game and the TAY did drop! That interesting fact spawned that whole mess of an explanation in this chapter that was loads of fun to write.

More "Phen'Doe Mars" (passages). It's always bothered me that the Lunarians only made one of those. Why? If they had the ability to make them, why one do one? Why not more?

So, the leader of the Magicite is revealed! (And no, he isn't a clown, though he is insane) He isn't hugely important to this story, but I felt like I needed to include him since the Magicite is mentioned so much.

And just for the record, magical duels are even harder to write then weapon duels. I tried my best to not make it boring...

If this were more of a crack-type fic, and if Cuore were more in touch with her human emotions, she really would have looked at Kieran this chapter with all his knowledge and said; "I want to have your children."

That's all for now, but let me know what you think so far!

**Also, now on my profile is a list of all the Kizzy stories Mythweaver and I have written, in order, with links to each story! Mythweaver has the list up on her profile as well. Enjoy!**

Until next time,


	10. Healing

**Heeeeeeey readers! Sick of me yet?**

**Anyway, this is getting uploaded tonight for 7th Scale, since he found out the chapter was written and I just wasn't posting it because I was shilling for more reviews on the last one. Ha. Here you go!**

**Who's ready for some heart-wrenching feelingz scenes?**

* * *

Despite the fact that the area directly outside of Mysidia was mostly grasslands, as the last of the sun's light faded it still became treacherous to navigate. The temperature had also dropped, and even though the tropical climate would never be as cold as other locations, it was still uncomfortable.

Cuore was graceful on her feet but she was tired of picking her way carefully across the frozen grasses and finally stopped with a sigh.

"We should stop for the night." she commented, glancing at Kieran.

He stopped at her side and shrugged, "You won't hear any complaints from me. Though, these aren't exactly ideal conditions to set up camp."

Cuore nodded in a distracted fashion. She was finding it difficult to focus since their encounter with Zethan Knox. Something he had said was bothering her, and try as she might, she couldn't get it out of her head.

Kieran knew something was bugging her; the way he kept glancing at her, trying to catch her wandering gaze told her that much. He never said anything, but she was fine with that.

She wasn't sure she could even put into words why she was so unsettled.

Since she hadn't replied to comment, Kieran just moved along with their plan, choosing a spot a little further away where some larger rocks were scattered. It was a logical plan, she knew. With the rocks at their backs, the wind would be blocked from one direction and provide some measure of comfort.

Snow was rare in Mysidia and so was rain this time of year so at least their chances of getting wet were slim.

Cuore was of little help in setting everything up by the time she was focused enough to realize it, but she did finally speak up when Kieran had tried and failed to get a fire going.

"I could do that," she mentioned.

He gestured to the pile of sad looking tinder he'd been able to find. "By all means,"

Cuore whispered the word needed and the fire sprang to life with a few crackles and pops.

She glanced at him through the fires curiously, "I thought you hated magic,"

Kieran frowned and leaned back against the rocks, "I don't hate magic, I just think mages are a little useless in a fight. And I think people relay on magic too much to solve their problems."

Cuore stared at the fire, considering his words.

While she pondered, she could feel Kieran studying her, probably still trying to figure out what was wrong.

Cuore glanced at him and he frowned, "Are you…okay? You've been acting odd ever since that fight with Zethan."

At first, she didn't reply. She took a moment to pick her words as carefully as she could, knowing that she could get an honest, straight answer out of Kieran if she asked the right question, the right way.

"He said something that I am trying to…assess."

Kieran made a face, "Why? He's insane, you heard him."

"But he made an interesting point," she countered.

He was still scowling, "What part?"

She shifted uncomfortably, and her companion sighed, "Cuore, whatever he said that has you bothered, ignore him. He may have claimed to watch you since you got here but that doesn't mean he knows you."

She looked up, "You don't know me either,"

At that comment, Kieran looked slightly hurt and insulted, "Maybe not very well, but better than Zethan."

She appreciated his words, but the truth was she wasn't sure any more about anything. She wanted to believe that Zethan was wrong, but try as she might she couldn't get his words out of her head.

She was a weapon, nothing more.

It wasn't true, but it very could have been. The Maenads hadn't been weapons at their core but the world still saw them as such.

The world didn't see her as a person, only a Maenad, so weren't they saying the same thing about her?

Curoe fidgeted, trying to sort through her own jumbled thoughts and sift away the worry about her brother at the same time.

She'd been useless so far in finding him, and had only encountered horrible people along the way.

"Cuore?"

She glanced up to see Kieran studying her again. "You're spacing out, and I'm going to hazard a guess and say you weren't talking with your Eidolons."

Annoyed, she stood up to pace. Was he trying to prove a point that he knew her better then she thought by making comments like that?

"I'm trying to think," she complained.

Kieran watched her pace, "Alright, but I'm telling you to ignore Zethan. He runs a cult, Cuore. He's good at saying a lot of things people want to hear. It's his job to get under your skin."

"You assume he lies,"

"Obviously." he replied.

Cuore had been ignoring her anxiety over Leo's disappearance since it had happened, but now she was having trouble displacing it when the only other feelings to focus on were just as chaotic.

"What if he wasn't lying?" she muttered, more to herself then in answer to Kieran's comment.

He heaved a sigh, "People say lots of things, it doesn't always make them true."

Cuore stopped pacing and glanced at him, jarred out of her apprehensive thoughts by his practical tone. It was something she was beginning to admire about him.

"Keely used to say that all the time, and you know what? She was right." Kieran said, pinning her with a look. "Zethan doesn't know you, if he did he wouldn't have forced you into a fight and been so horribly beaten. Let it go, Cuore."

She wished she could so easily, but for the moment she was distracted by something else. "Who is Keely?"

The name sounded vaguely familiar but she couldn't place it.

Kieran opened his mouth, then paused and averted his gaze, speaking quietly. "She was my sister."

Cuore flinched, instantly regretting having asked. She hesitated, unsure how to apologize that wouldn't upset him more.

"She…was just a little older then Leo…" he muttered, sounding distracted.

She swallowed thickly and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Kieran's gaze shifted back to the fire, a sad half-smile on his face, and he spoke as though she hadn't apologized.

"Kaiden always said that out of the three of us she would be the one to go on the adventure. Keely the great we always said to tease her. She just nodded and told us not to forget it."

Cuore sat down carefully, afraid to draw attention to herself and make this instant turn unpleasant. At the moment, Kieran hardly seemed to be speaking to her at all. His voice was so quiet and despondent that she almost wished he'd stop telling her this story. Another part of her longed to hear it; it was rare to hear him speak of his family and she'd be lying if she said she hadn't been curious.

"I was going to build her an airship so she could fly wherever she wanted, and Kaiden was going to find all the weapons and items she needed for the trip." he continued, still staring at the fire. "She always wanted to go Damcyan and I could never figure out why…"

Cuore bit her lip, guilt clawing at her insides.

Kieran narrowed his eyes, though the nostalgic expression remained on his face. "Keely would always ask me to tell her stories. She said I always came up with interesting ones and they always had a different ending. I remember she especially liked the one about the butterfly princess…"

The fire suddenly crackled and broke the trace, making Kieran blink and look away, muttering, "I should stop talking."

Cuore shook her head quickly, one hand gripping at the grasses beside her to steady herself and keep herself grounded. Her emotions were raw and she was afraid that the tears she was holding back would fall if she let herself breathe.

"No, you don't have too," she whispered, unsure what to say.

Kieran glanced at her, and his expression turned annoyed, "Don't look at me like that,"

"Like what?" she asked, confused.

"Like your about to cry," he muttered, rolling his shoulder out.

Cuore glared at him, "Why do you always do that?"

"What?"

"Try and make me stop feeling?" she snapped angrily. "First you complain because I'm a heartless duplicate and then when I show any sort of emotion you always tell me to stop!"

Kieran scowled at her, "I haven't said anything remotely close to that for a while so don't dump your insecurities onto me, Cuore."

There was nothing she could do to stop the tears from leaking out of the corner of her eyes, or prevent the tightening in her chest from a mixture of emotions.

They were roiling feelings of anger and guilt and frustration that coalesced into tangible tears as their expression. She was so angry at everything in the world that she couldn't even decide what bothered her more.

Even through her blurry vision she saw Kieran's surprise that she actually burst into tears, but she didn't want him to apologize or question the action so she hastily spoke, anger coming to the forefront of her tone.

"You don't understand!" she nearly shouted, hands clenching, "You don't get what it's like to feel like you're the one who did these awful things when really you weren't even on the planet at the time! I can see it, Kieran; see it, hear it, smell it, taste it, feel it! It's too much to remember all of it, but I can't help it!"

Cuore stood, anger bouncing back until she was more upset at herself then him. "I _remember_ your little sister. I _remember _your parents and your brother. I _remember_ lifting my hand and calling forth that flare. I _remember_ it all!"

"Cuore-"

She shook her head and held up a hand, still crying, "No, stop, please. Not now. It's too much. Not now."

She ran, too afraid to stay and explain herself because she wasn't sure she could explain. How did she voice what was wrong when she wasn't even sure?

Cuore ran until she was far enough away that the fire wasn't visible anymore and then she finished the incantation she hadn't even been aware she'd started.

Phoenix appeared in her regal human guise, as if she'd known her summoner needed her for something that her fiery form couldn't fix. Her gown was molted with reds and oranges and even in the dark of the night, it seemed to emit a warm glow. Her red hair melted into feathers halfway down her back and her golden eyes were soft as she stared at her summoner.

Cuore didn't even bother to greet her and instead grasp onto her and sobbed.

Phoenix let out a small sound of surprise before wrapping her arms around Cuore and gently lowering them both to the ground. "Oh, destined one, what is wrong? I'm glad you finally called me, I could feel your growing uneasy through our link but you'd been so quiet."

"I-I don't know what's wrong," she cried, burying her head into Phoenix's shoulder.

The Eidolon woman sighed, "Cuore, you can't simply ignore you emotions and hope they go away. That's not the way that they work. You have to face them, like you would a foe. You have to work through them."

Cuore peered up at her, still crying, "How can I, when I don't even understand what I'm feeling?"

Phoenix smiled slightly and brushed aside some of her wild her, "I can't tell you what your feeling, only you can figure that out. But I can sit here with you. I can listen to you."

Cuore clung to her and nodded, "Please stay,"

She cried, and through the course of her tears she mumbled things that didn't really amount to much. She learned very little about herself that she didn't already know, but Phoenix was right.

She couldn't keep running from her emotions or she was going to have many more of these breakdowns.

"I miss Leo." she sobbed, worried for his safety and feeling horribly guilty all the while.

Phoenix soothed her by stroking her back, "Of course you miss him. He's your brother."

"I miss my parents, too." she realized.

Her Eidolon nodded, "And I would assume they miss you as well."

Cuore squeezed her eyes shut, "I'm so confused right now! What is wrong with me? I can't even think straight."

Phoenix laughed ever so slightly, "Destined one, your confusion is what fuels your tears. You are feeling helpless, and no being likes to feel that way. Human, Maenad, Eidolon. We all hate it. You must learn from it, though. This situation is not something you can control, you have to learn that there will be things you cannot control in your life. But your emotions, Cuore, those you can govern so that they do not control you."

Cuore chewed her lip, tasting salt, and finally whispered, "I'm scared of myself."

"I know." Phoenix murmured, hugging her tightly.

They remained that way for so long Cuore lost track of the time, but before the night wore on footsteps made them both look up.

Phoenix released her enough that she could sit up and look, though she cringed when she saw it was Kieran. Who else she thought it might be, she didn't know, but this was not an encounter she was hoping to have anytime soon.

He seemed uncomfortable with finding her in the middle of crying, clinging to her Eidolon, and he shifted uneasily from one foot to the other.

"It…had been over an hour." he explained with half a shrug, "I figured I should make sure a monster hadn't eaten you."

Cuore blinked and sniffed in an attempt to stop her tears while Phoenix merely smiled at Kieran, "I appreciate you coming to check up on my summoner."

He nodded, "Um…sure."

Phoenix glanced at Cuore, and she saw the look on her face and quickly shook her head.

"_Don't you dare leave me_!" she whined.

"_Cuore, you are in good hands. He's as worried about you as I am_." the Eidolon woman told her, ever patient. "_I am only a few words away, but your problems are human problems. Perhaps you should ask advice from your human friends_."

Phoenix gently extracted herself from Cuore's grip and stood in a graceful motion, still smiling. She helped Cuore to her feet though the teal haired teen made sure to avoid looking directly at Kieran.

Him seeing her cry was extremely embarrassing.

Turning to Kieran, Phoenix held onto Cuore's hands as she spoke, "Please be kind and patient, would you? The other Eidolons have no love for you but I trust you to have my summoner's best interest at heart."

He blinked, and made a face Cuore couldn't identify before speaking up, "Well, since your fine, I can just leave you two alone, if that's…better."

Phoenix shook her head, "No, please, stay. Cuore's wasting energy by keeping me here."

She leaned forward and stroked Cuore's cheek once, "I am a call away, destined one, but remember that I cannot help you understand. Only you can figure it out."

She nodded, and dismissed Phoenix back to the Feymarch. There was an awkward pause in the silence after she left, and finally Kieran gestured back the way he came. "It's cold, we should go back."

Cuore followed after him, not sure if she felt better or worse after her talk with Phoenix. The Eidolon was right, though, she needed to deal with this.

Still, she would have preferred to be alone to do so, not stuck with Kieran while she tried to sort through her troubling emotions.

They returned to the campfire, which was still going, and Kieran sat without a word, poking at the flames to make sure they were still under control.

Cuore had no desire to sit down and so stood opposite him, holding her hands over the tops of the fire in the hopes she could warm her numb fingers.

Kieran suddenly sighed, "Look, I'm sorry."

She glanced up, brow furrowing, "For what?"

He shifted to sit on the ground and rested his elbows on the tops of his knees before he answered, sounding exasperated. "For making you cry, again. I seem to be really good at it, and this time I wasn't even trying."

Cuore couldn't help it, she giggled and let her hands drop to her sides, "It wasn't you, Kieran."

"For once," he added, staring at her. "Are you okay?"

She shook her head, "No,"

"Do…you want to talk about it?" he ventured carefully. He sounded like he was grasping in the dark for words.

"Not with you." she replied automatically. Only after the fact did she wince when she realized how that would sound.

He looked annoyed, but said nothing and stared at the fire. Cuore chewed her lip and contemplated her options before walking around the campfire and gingerly sitting down next to him with her legs bent and drawn up to one side.

"I didn't mean it to sound like that," she said quietly, feeling guilty that after all this time she was still hurting him.

"You told Zethan you trusted me with your life, Cuore," he whispered. "So why won't you trust me with this?"

She peered up at him, "I trust you, but I'm uncertain if you trust me."

He looked confused, and she turned to stare at the fire, speaking lowly and evenly and hoping dearly that she wasn't going to regret this.

"Trust is something earned, right? Or does a person have it until they do something to lose it? I don't blame you for not trusting me. What I am makes it impossible, doesn't it?"

"Cuore, you know I trust you." Kieran replied, regarding her in an odd fashion. "I've told you that before, and I would never lie to you."

Cuore stared at him, hesitating to believe him though what reason did he have to lie to her?

She swallowed, "Even though…I'm a Maenad?"

"Is that what this is all about?" he asked, sounding surprised. "I thought…you were over that."

Cuore pulled her knees to her chest and stared into the restless flames, "I don't know that I'll ever be able to put that to rest…"

She closed her eyes, deciding to take a chance and trust him in this moment. To take Phoenix's advice. If anyone would possibly understand where she was coming from, it might very well be the young man sitting next to her.

"Zethan made valid points. I have all the makings of a weapon. The Maenads, however, weren't weapons. At least, not at their core. I know what the world saw them as, but they were seekers, designed to gather information for the creator. They weren't meant to do anything more." she explained softly, speaking freely.

"A random malfunction is the only thing that makes me different." Cuore admitted.

Kieran cleared his throat to interrupt her, "I've heard you say that before, but maybe it wasn't so random, Cuore."

She glanced at him with a bitterly amused expression, "You don't know much about the Maenads, do you? Most of the world doesn't, I suppose…"

Wrapping her arms around her knees she began to talk about something only her parents had heard before, surprising herself she would share it with Kieran of all people.

"I share a ninety-seven percent genetic match to Rydia. The creator hacked into the Crystal in the underworld and used data it contained to copy and create the Maenads based on her form. The use of Eidolons was something he had not come across before on any planet."

She closed her eyes, "Each Maenad is a copy of that very first one that traveled in the guise of Rydia for mere hours on this world. Through those events, she gathered the data needed to create the rest of the Maenads. Each Maenad made has the memories of all those that came before, and are linked telepathically into a hive mind. We share thoughts and knowledge to each other. When the Maenads weren't in use, so to speak, they remain in suspended animation within special protected pods."

Cuore had never realized how sick her origins made her feel until she shivered while explaining the next part. "Those pods are also how Maenads are…created. They don't reproduce, obviously, they are just…made. My form was incomplete when the creation pod failed. My link to the others was severed; my form was damaged and imperfect. The other Maenads who were damaged at the same time all compiled with their programing, if you will, and terminated their existence."

She had paused, and Kieran finished out her thought for her. "But not you,"

Cuore shook her head, "No, I was…afraid, and so I didn't. And then…I met Rydia."

"I didn't realize you…_remembered_ everything so…vividly," he said haltingly.

Her eyes glazed slightly as she stared at the fire, "Everything the Maenads were, they passed to me in the end. Last of my kind. I have all their knowledge and experiences."

There was a lull in their conversation, and Cuore rested her chin on the tops of her knees, realizing she still had more to say.

"Zethan sees me as a weapon, the rest of the world sees me as a robot, Zeromus saw me as a puppet." She shut her eyes, "I have no idea what I see myself as. What am I? Do I even have a soul? Can something made, not born, have a soul?"

"Do the Eidolons have souls?" Kieran asked her suddenly.

She snapped her head up look at him, surprised.

"They're not born, yet I could have sworn Phoenix used part of her _soul_ to put your _soul_ back in your body." he continued.

Cuore stared at him, having not thought about that before, and found herself whispering, "What about you? What do you see me as?"

She'd once asked him this question before, and he'd diverted the answer. Maybe this time she could get something straight out of him.

Kieran hesitated and she tipped her head to one side, "If you see a Maenad, you can say that, you know. It's what I am. It's what I'll always be. I can't change that."

He shook his head, annoyed, "No, that isn't what I see,"

"But your family-" she started, only to have him cut her off.

"You aren't _her_."

Cuore stiffened and felt fresh tears pool in her eyes, "But I could have been. If my pod hadn't of failed, if I hadn't have been defective. I'm not even a Maenad, you know. I'm too imperfect for that. Not human, not Maenad; I'm some flawed duplicate, trapped in a world filled with vile people."

She started to sob once more, unable to stop herself from breaking down all over again.

"This world is so horrible. People cheat, and steal, and lie. They kidnap innocent children and pit others of their kind against mutated monsters they've captured. They play games with people's lives like toys, all the while wearing fake smiles. They sell out everyone around them just for tangible rewards that last a moment, while their actions scar the world forever."

Cuore shook her head and buried her face into her hands, "I don't understand it! Yet _I'm_ the contemptible creation everyone hates! The Maenads may have caused pain, but _humans_ do this willing to their _own kind_. What makes them better and right and me evil and wrong? Incomprehensible!"

She curled into herself to cry, lost in her anxiety about Leo's safety, her own hatred of what she was coupled with all the confusion she felt. Her emotions were threatening to overpower her, helpless as she was at this point in her life, and she had no idea how to avoid drowning in them.

There was a careful and hesitant touch on her back, reminding her she wasn't alone at the moment. Cuore stifled a groan at being stuck with Kieran of all people for this mental collapse.

But still, it was oddly comforting to have him stroke her back and she turned her tear stained face to him, resting her cheek on her knees.

"You never let me answer your question."

The completely bland way he had spoken made her chuckle and she used her hands to wipe off her face, giving him her full attention afterwards, though she was still trembling with sobs.

"Sorry, your right. I didn't." she said with a deep, shuddering breath.

Kieran studied her before speaking, and although he seemed rather reluctant to talk at all, there was no uncertainty in his tone. He meant the words he was speaking, that she knew.

"A Maenad is _what_ you are, Cuore, but it isn't _who_ you are. Do you understand the difference? Maenad is like a title, or…a starting place, it doesn't automatically define you. It's like what you said to Zethan; magic doesn't make someone better. This is the same. Being a Maenad doesn't make you evil."

He continued, shrugging, "I don't see a Maenad when I look at you anymore, you don't even look like one."

Cuore blinked, "The Maenads were matured to an age approximately twelve years from my current-"

He rolled his eyes, "No, Cuore, you're missing my point. You don't look like _her_. You aren't _her_."

She was surprised when he reached out to tug on her hair, "Sure, your hair is the same color, and you look like Rydia, but…you display so many emotions on your face that you barely look like the Maenads anymore. Your eyes are even a different color."

"Unlikely." she complained.

Kieran frowned at her, "Stop interrupting me. I'm trying to make you feel better."

She smiled a little and bit her lip to avoid making anymore unwanted comments.

He let go of her hair and instead flicked a tear off her cheek, "So, no, I don't see a Maenad when I look at you. I see…a talented, beautiful, socially odd, brilliant obnoxious know-it-all who is deviously clever and sarcastic and perfect, just the way she is."

Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks for an entirely different reason then before and Kieran sighed, "And someone I can only make cry, apparently,"

Cuore giggled and shook her head, hair cascading over one shoulder, "No, don't worry, these are good tears."

Kieran's hand had left her cheek but he touched her chin to make her look up at him once more, finishing out his thought. "You have to figure out what you see yourself as, Cuore, before you can go anywhere from this. Don't let other people define you, tell you who you are or who you have to be. That's _your_ choice."

He shrugged one shoulder, "I should take my own advice, but…you have no control over the past; what you were and where you came from. But the future? That is your choice. Where you go and who you become."

Cuore blinked a few times, letting his words sink in as he muttered, "As for being human, well, as you said, we're not so great to begin with, so maybe you shouldn't try so hard to be like us…"

She smiled slowly, grateful and relieved and whispered, "I don't know…for all the wicked people I've met the last few days, I think I've found one or two that make up for it."

They shared a smile at that, and she brushed off the remaining traces of her tears, feeling lighter and less conflicted then she had. Kieran was right, however; she had to figure out who she was right now and who she wanted to become. No one could answer her questions for her.

Despite how well she felt, she glanced at Kieran, who had gone back to watching the fire and wondered if he was where she was. Feeling trapped, alone, bound so heavily to the past that it ate at his soul.

"Kieran?"

He looked over, "Yeah?"

Cuore smiled, "Thank you."

He nodded, sparing her the briefest hint of a smile. It was all he ever really let slip.

She bit her lip, "Are you…okay?"

"Me?" he asked, giving her a funny look.

She swallowed and nodded, "Yes, you. You never talk about your family…or your scars…"

Kieran sighed and looked away, "My turn, then?"

"I won't force you," Cuore replied, shifting on the ground. "But if you wanted to talk, I would listen."

He sighed, continuing to stare at the fire, but spoke nevertheless. "What do you want to know?"

Cuore blinked a couple of times before shifting away from facing him to look off into the fire as well. "I…don't know that much about you. What are you willing to share?"

There was a pause and then Kieran nodded slowly, beginning to talk in a halted manner.

"My family owned an item shop, you already knew that. I wanted to build airships when I grew up, my older brother, Kaiden, wanted to take over the family business. Keely wanted to slay dragons."

He shrugged, "We were normal. My father worked hard, my mother cooked dinner every night. What can I say? Everything was fine, and I never imagined it being any different."

Even knowing what was coming next, she still tensed when he continued the story, because she knew all too well what had happened, and no matter what she told herself, she still felt guilty.

"And then that night happened, and everything went up in smoke in a matter of seconds. I saw…" he paused and closed his eyes, "I saw my parents die. I was holding Keely, but that spell, flare, right? I still don't really know what happened. I remember being in pain, and hearing screams, seeing bright lights but…I have no idea what really happened."

Cuore was digging her fingernails into her legs in an attempt to focus her thoughts, "Viola said…she met you after that, but she didn't tell me anything else."

Kieran shook his head, "Viola told me later that everyone was surprised I was still alive, and that I was horribly out of it for days, but honestly? I don't remember any of that. I vaguely remember voices and random images but nothing that stands out."

"Then…" she hazarded, "after that?"

He gave a sharp, short and bitter laugh, "Oh, after that? It wasn't until later that everyone figured out there was a Maenad in the castle, right? So all I knew at that point was that, still sick from the attack, I got thrown out of the castle and was left to fend for myself, running from zombie-like guards while meteorites are falling from the sky."

"Oh." she said quietly. "That…sucks."

"Yes, yes it did. And then the world was saved and somehow I couldn't bring myself to be very happy about it…" Kieran complained, frowning. "I was so bitter back then, and I know what you're thinking; that I'm bitter now, too, but trust me, I was worse back then."

She blinked at him, "You had every right to be,"

"Maybe." he muttered. "But you know what? I never let myself grieve for what happened, because I was too busy being angry."

His eyes narrowed, "And now I'm not sure I know how to grieve…"

Cuore licked her lips nervously, "I'm not sure I can help you with that, since I'm confused about my emotions, too, but…maybe it will help to…tell me about your family?"

He stared at her, "What do you want to know?"

"What do you want to tell me? What do you remember most?" she replied.

Cuore had always been curious about Kieran's family. Not just because of what had happened to them, or because of how he was, but because all of Cuore's friends had their family intact. She knew their parents as well as she did them.

"Well, let's see…my mom played the piano, and she was a good cook. She always worried too much, though. If we stayed up too late, or if we went out in the rain, or if she thought we were sick."

Cuore rested her cheek on the tops of her knees again, listening to him.

"My father was very serious, until you got to know him and then you'd realize that he was actually really sarcastic, but it was such a dry sense of humor most people missed it. He was a little bit of a perfectionist. Especially with the store's displays. It had to be exact. I could never do it well enough for his tastes."

"And your siblings?" she asked.

Kieran grinned slightly, "Well, we…got into too much trouble for our own good. Kaiden was always coming up with little schemes that I would always tell him were bad ideas, but I still did them with him. Keely was sassy, and tried to do too much. She was just a little girl, but she thought she was already a queen."

"And you? What were you like back then?" Cuore asked, always inquisitive.

He blinked, "Me? I was…well," He grinned again, "I was anti-social, that much didn't change. I didn't have any friends, I liked to read. I liked to be alone. I wanted to build airships when I grew up."

He frowned, "Ironic I would get airsick…"

She giggled.

He stopped talking then, for a moment, and the mood sobered as he went back to staring at the fire.

"It's the little things," Kieran said quietly. "I remember my family. I remember who they were at their core, I have so many memories about our lives…" His eyes narrowed as if straining to see something. "It's the little things I can't remember."

Cuore said nothing, wondering if there was anything she _could_ say to make this instant any easier. By the time she concluded there wasn't, he was speaking again.

"I can't remember how tall my brother was, or the exact color of my mother's eyes. I can't…remember the sound of my father's voice or how long my sister's hair was."

Kieran glanced at her, studying her as if hoping she could somehow help, "I'm afraid that, since these small details have faded, that someday I won't remember them at all. It's like…losing them all over again."

Cuore didn't know what to say, so instead she set her hand gently on his arm and offered what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "All I can think to say is I'm sorry, and I know that's not what you want to hear."

He smiled slightly at her, "No, it's not. I hate hearing that. That's all anyone ever tells me. That's why I don't talk about my family, or let people know about my scars. I hate seeing the look of pity on their faces or hearing them say their sorry when it fact they don't even _get it_."

He shook his head, "Everyone after the attack, after I had met Kain and decided to train, all people ever said was that they were _sorry_, and that I should be _glad_ that I was still alive, and that it _happened for a reason_."

He glared at nothing in particular, "Sorry my fist connected with your face. It happened for a reason."

Cuore bit her lip, "Then what do you want to hear?"

"I don't know." he admitted, looking back to her. "I'm sorry about the other night, about snapping at you with the scars, I just…I never let people know about those. Only a handful of people do."

She shook her head, "No, I'm sorry. I feel as though I overstepped some boundary, there."

Kieran set his hand over hers, still resting on his arm, "Don't worry about it."

Cuore tipped her head to one side, "I've always wanted to ask you…why did you decide to become a dragoon? Why not still try to build airships like you always wanted?"

He looked momentarily sheepish and then averted his gaze, "Don't make fun of me, but…I wanted to learn how to at least keep people safe. I was helpless to save my family, even being right next to them, and so, I wanted to learn to protect people who couldn't protect themselves, so that no one else had to go through what I did."

She nodded slowly and he shrugged, adding, "And, I do like Kain. He has never one told me he's sorry. In fact, he told me to grow up and get over myself. It was infinitely more helpful advice…"

Cuore giggled, noting the humor in his tone as he said that. And she had always found their relationship amusing.

"That's why I came with you, you know." he mumbled, looking back to her. "If I had been able to save Keely, or any member of my family, I would have. Here I have a chance to help you find your brother."

Cuore's expression softened and she smiled once more, "And I thank you for that,"

Kieran nodded, "Your welcome."

The conversation died down into a comfortable silence, and despite how it had seemingly dropped away, it wasn't awkward. Cuore felt better having talked out her troubles with someone else, and she felt she understood Kieran more now.

But she also felt…odd.

"_More unknown emotions. I don't think I can decipher this_…" she complained inwardly.

It wasn't helping that Kieran was regarding her in an abnormal manner; studying her as if he'd never seen her before in his life.

She blinked and tipped her head to one side, "What?"

He shook his head and reached out to tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "Nothing. We should get some sleep."

Cuore paused, watching as he extracted his hand from her hair and frowned lightly, feeling as though she was missing something. Rather than dwell on it, she decided to focus on Kieran's practical comment and nodded.

"Yes, we should. I'll take first watch, if you like."

He gave her a funny look, "Are you sure?"

She nodded and stood, "Yes, I need the time to think, anyway."

Kieran shrugged and leaned back against the rocks behind him. Cuore turned to stare out over the darkened plains.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

"Bells! Get your bells!"

Cuore cringed from the vendor on the street corner yelling in what had to be tones humans should never reach.

"How many days does it take to celebrate a damn crystal?" Kieran wondered out loud, frowning. "I mean, _seriously_."

She grinned at him, "Apparently quite a few,"

They were making their way, slowly, through the streets of Mysidia and towards the Serpent Road. Clogs of people were making progress slow, but despite the offset, Cuore was surprisingly calm.

Yes, it was wasting her time and yes, she needed to find her brother, but her frazzled nerves felt healed somewhat after the night's discussion with Kieran.

That, and she was finding his company to be more enjoyable then before.

She couldn't decide if it was because he was less irritated and intimidating, or if she was simply looking at him differently.

Either way, they had gone hours without an argument, and she countered that as a victory.

The city was overrun with tourists, and there was a chill in the air that even the thick crowds couldn't hide. People wove through the streets at two speeds; slogging or dashing. Cuore wasn't fond of either and tried her best to avoid touching anyone.

After a long morning of walking, the building that housed the Serpent's Road was in sight, and they eventually slipped inside without attracting any attention. After all, everyone was preoccupied with the festival, and the gateway was supposed to be out of use, anyway.

Cuore hurried to one of the pillars in the room and pried the panel off of it, kneeling down to look inside and decide how best to go about tracking the matter streams.

Kieran leaned against the doorway, she assumed to keep an eye out, and spoke up from his perch.

"Where do you think these…roads go?" he asked.

Cuore frowned thoughtfully, "The matter streams degrade the longer and further they travel, hence why the Lunarians have a circuit around the way world. Besides that, it can only go in a straight line, and passing through more matter, like, say, a mountain, would further degrade the stream. My guess is this one goes somewhere to Fabul, but I can't be certain."

"Makes sense. I mean, if the black market is using this, then there's probably one to go everywhere we've had trouble." he replied, glancing towards the doorway.

She blinked a few times, wondering if she was reading the data in front of her. The record she had found for this Phen'Doe Mar made her pause and reexamine the crystal tube she was holding.

"That's odd," she mumbled, squinting.

Kieran glanced over, "What is?"

"This…record." she answered, distracted. "It claims to have received a matter stream the day Leo disappeared. A transport from Baron."

"So?"

She pursed her lips, "So, it was before you and I accessed it and Jasmine had told me that the device had been deactivated for the children's field trip."

Kieran wandered over and looked over her shoulder, "Jasmine?"

"The teacher's aide."

He frowned, "Maybe we should have a word with her,"

"…Perhaps." Cuore muttered, unhappy that she was being lead back to where they had started this trip. "But that would require us to go to Baron, and I'm not sure how we would explain our activities."

Kieran nodded, "True…what else did you learn?"

"That someone has fried the receiving record on this device," Cuore complained, jamming the crystal back into its spot. "I believe they do not wish to be found."

He sighed, "So, now what?"

"If I knew the location of the other end of this Phen'Doe Mar, I could manually put in the code," she explained, sitting back on her heels. "But without the exact location, I can't be certain we wouldn't simply…vanish."

"Charming." Kieran remarked sarcastically. "Any other thoughts?"

Cuore shook her head, annoyed at herself for failing yet again.

They both remained silent for a moment; she stared at the inner workings of the crystalline computer in the hopes she would be inspired to come up with a plan.

She was startled from her thoughts when Kieran knelt down and yanked one of the slender crystals out.

Her eyes widened, "What are you doing?"

"This is the receiver, correct? And this one," he said, jiggling another one loose, "is what relays the signal,"

She nodded slowly and watched him give the crystals a once over, making a face. He glanced back at the machine, "Which one is the one that…I don't know what the word is…attaches? What…anchors the matter stream to the next device?"

Cuore leaned forward and tapped one of the short tubes, "This, why?"

He pulled it out next and handed her the relay crystal, "Realign that to send out a broad signal."

She raised an eyebrow, "But there's nothing to connect too, I don't know-"

Kieran glanced at her and jammed one of the other crystals back in, "Have you ever heard of firing blind? These things are designed to hook to each other, right? So, if we send out a…whatever these things send out, it's going to find the nearest one to connect to."

Cuore made a face but nevertheless started the recalibrations, "Imprecise."

"Effective," he countered, replacing his last crystal back into the machine.

Cuore sighed and inserted the last part before reaching around the device and tapping a few commands on the side panel. It chimed, and then beeped, and she blinked, surprised.

"It located the Serpent's Road in Baron, but…it looks like it also connected to a relay in…Silvera."

Kieran stared at her, "Feel like taking a trip?"

"Not especially." she complained, hesitating. "We have no idea what we'd be stepping into…a black market hideout? A stronghold? A wall? We've never found these channels before, so I have no way of knowing if we can even get through."

"What's the alternative?" he asked.

Cuore shook her head, "Jasmine may know something, I wish there was a way to talk with her."

"Let's just go to Baron and explain what's going on." he suggested.

Cuore fixed him with a look, "Do you really think anyone will listen to us? I wasn't supposed to go after Leo, and you're supposed to be suspended. I'll be lucky if my parents don't already kill me for all of this."

"Did you tell them?"

She rolled her eyes, "No, but I assume Rosa and Cecil did. They will not be pleased."

Kieran held up his hands, "I'd rather go home and face the music then take a chance and have my molecules fiddled with, but it's your call. I'll follow you wherever, Cuore."

She understood what he meant, and she smiled with a nod, "Then, we go to Baron."

"Alright, let's get this over with." he said, rolling his eyes.

Cuore replaced the panel and tapped the device to get it started before hopping to her feet and hurrying to the center of the crest.

* * *

Kieran had to admit that traveling through the Serpent's Road didn't bother him so much after all this time, but it was still unsettling, no matter how many times Cuore explained how it worked.

They shimmered into being and he blinked, glad that this time he was barely dizzy at all, the spots in front of his eyes blinked away at once.

They heard a yelp, and Cuore's hands went to her weapons at once, though she didn't draw them when she saw the disturbance was only the guard stationed here.

"Oh," Kieran said, waving, "hey Hobby."

The man's eyes were wide and he pointed at them, "You, where….wait, what?"

Cuore made a face, "Please clarify what you're asking,"

He shook himself, "Jansen said he saw you, Kieran, but we all just assume he was sleeping on the job again, you know? But where have you been! It's been days! And why are you coming through that thing, and wait…"

He squinted at them and his expression turned suspicious, "How do I know you _are_ Kieran?"

He rolled his eyes, "Oh, crystals, Hobby, what is with you? Who else would I be?"

"…I don't know…" he said, looking him up and down.

Kieran frowned, "You are deathly afraid of chocobos and you never shut up about your unhealthy obsession with Bundt cake."

Hobby winced, "Okay, so maybe you are who you look like you are, but where have you been? And why are you using that thing with…_her_…"

Kieran hopped off the platform and turned to give Cuore his hand and help her down while commenting, "Long story,"

"I'm not going anywhere." Hobby said, trying to sound intimidating.

He sighed and thought up a plan on the spot. Out of everyone who could be easily manipulated, Hobby was the best. They were lucky he was on guard duty and not someone else. Still, it would require that Cuore catch on to the ploy and not ruin it.

Still, if he had learned anything about her, it was that she was far more devious then people assumed.

"Well, if you must know, Hobby, we were testing this device." Kieran said, nudging Cuore out of the way to subtly flick the panel open with his back still to Hobby.

"Testing it for…what?" the other young man asked, sounding confused.

Kieran pulled one of the tubular shards out and wordlessly passed it to Cuore, who gave him a weird look. "Because it's damaged, and clearly needs to be repaired."

He finally turned around to give Hobby a look, "I'm sure you know about that,"

"Hey! I didn't break it!" he insisted, holding up his hands defensively, "I never touch that thing when I'm in here. It gives me the creeps!"

Cuore sighed, hiding the removed crystal behind her back, "Nevertheless, it is damaged, and I'm sure you will be held responsible since you were on duty when it happened."

"When…what happened?" Hobby asked warily.

Cuore flicked a wire loose and it sparked and popped ominously behind them.

"That." they both chorused at the same time.

Hobby cringed, "Oh man, I can't get in trouble for breaking stuff again, and not something important like the Serpent's Road!"

Kieran waved at him, "Relax, I have your back. We're trying to fix it,"

"But I require parts to do so." Cuore finished, propping one hand on her hip. "You should remain here and keep watch over it."

He blinked and Kieran nodded, "We'll be back shortly."

They strode towards the door and Hobby looked between them and the device a few times before swallowing and speaking up once more, "How…I mean, this…I…"

Cuore gave Kieran a funny look, probably unable to decipher Hobby-speak, but after living with him for so long, he just turned to speak to him over his shoulder.

"Hobby, relax. Tell no one that you saw us, or that the Serpent's Road is broken and Kain will never know."

"Promise?"

Kieran frowned, "…Promise."

Hobby looked relieved and they quickly left before any more questions could be asked.

Cuore giggled once they were safety out into the snow covered streets, "I…well done."

"Improvising." Kieran said, shrugging. Cuore handed him the crystal he had removed, "Hold onto that, I'll need it to fix the Phen'Doe Mar."

He nodded and stashed it in his bag before looking around, "Hey, where do we find this Jasmine?"

Cuore glanced around the streets thoughtfully, and then put her hands on her hips, "She is a teacher's aide, and while the classrooms are in the castle's one wing, I wonder if we might be able to find her outside of the classroom."

"You know where she lives?" he asked, not serious.

Cuore shook her head, "Sadly, I do not."

Before they could ponder it any further, a loud and painfully familiar voice called out to them, making Kieran cringe. "Viola."

Sure enough, the woman was hurrying towards them as much as she dared on the slippery streets and she did not look happy.

"Kieran Astor where have you been?!" she said, sounding worried and relieved all in the same breath.

He sighed and averted his gaze, answering vaguely, "Around."

Viola fixed him with a look and then glanced at both of them and their rather tattered appearance. "Around _where_?"

Cuore self-consciously brushed at her hair while Kieran just frowned at Viola, "I'm fine, don't start fretting."

"I was _fretting_ days ago when no one could find you!" she snapped back, crossing her arms. "Where have you been? Why did you just up and leave without telling anyone where you were going?"

He hesitated and was surprised when Cuore stepped forward and set her hand gently on his arm, "Viola, please don't be mad. It's my fault."

"No it isn't," he complained, scowling at her. He was annoyed she thought he had to hide behind her from the nosey white mage.

Viola glanced between them and sighed, closing her eyes, "I'm going to pretend I didn't see either of you, but whatever you two think you're doing, please be careful. This isn't a game."

Cuore nodded, "I know that, and I would appreciate your silence for the moment."

Viola sighed again and looked them over before her expression softened from one of motherly scolding to a more motherly concern. "Are you sure you're alright? You look…"

Kieran grinned sheepishly, "Self treated."

She glared at him and Cuore merely spoke up again, ever polite, "Perhaps you can help us?"

"How so?" Viola asked, turning her attention to the teal haired teen.

Cuore brushed at her hair again, "I'm looking for a teacher's aide named Jasmine. She is one of those in charge of the exchange students?"

Viola nodded, "Oh, sure, a black mage, right? She's a bit odd…I think that class is out for the day, and you might try to find her down near the docks."

Kieran made a face, "The docks? Why?"

Viola shrugged, "I don't know. I've seen her heading that way on occassion."

Cuore glanced at him and he nodded, already moving past Viola to head towards the other end of town. "Thanks,"

Viola watched them go and looked very much like she wanted to stop them, but Cuore just spun around and walked backwards for a few steps so she could call back, "Yes, thank you, Viola."

They were off, and Kieran had a feeling whatever they discovered at the docks would not be good.

In winter time, the harbor area was even more dead than normal, and was such when they arrived. Kieran glanced around and frowned, taking the lead as Cuore hung back to let him go first since he knew the way. She was apprehensive; he could tell after spending so much time with her.

Snow had begun to fall, and it was eerily silent as they passed through one of the gates. No one was around so they continued onward, rounding one of the buildings and heading towards the actual docks located at the very outskirts of the city.

There they spotted Jasmine, looking cold and glancing to and fro, appearing to wait for someone.

Cuore glanced at him and he nodded, starting to walk forward.

It took a few moments for Jasmine to spot them, and when she did, she froze, obviously realizing she was in trouble.

She was trapped, with nowhere to run, and she knew it. The look on her face was contorted into anxiety and she nervously rubbed one arm.

"Oh, h-hello." she greeted, attempting a smile.

Cuore glared at her, "You lied to me."

Jasmine blinked, "Excuse me?"

"You told me the Serpent's Road was deactivated the day Leo went missing, yet I now know that was not the case."

Jasmine swallowed, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Kieran frowned, but as he watched Cuore's eyes narrowed as the woman continued to awkward fuss with her arm.

In a flash, the teal haired teen had reached out to snatch her arm and yanked back her sleeve to reveal a metallic device strapped to her arm.

Jasmine gasped, "Let go of me!"

"This is an Ii'Tash!" Cuore exclaimed, eyes widening.

Kieran made a face, "A what?"

"A Lunarian device that measures the output of energy, including that of magical energy." she explained, eyeing Jasmine. "Where did you get this?"

"I don't have to answer to you!" the woman snapped, tugging useless on her arm. In fact, she seemed rather weak.

Kieran noticed her arm was trembling and glanced at her other hand to see it shake as well before he looked back up at her. "You're in withdrawals."

Jasmine's eyes squeezed such, "I-I…please let me go, I can't be seen with you."

Cuore glanced between the two of them but never released the woman's arm. "Withdrawals?"

He nodded, "She's addicted to elixirs. Am I right?"

Jasmine sighed and nodded, slumping in defeat as she ceased tugging on her arm, "Yes, your right. Happy now? I can't tell you anything else. I won't."

Cuore glared at her, "You'll _tell_ me where my brother is,"

"I don't know," Jasmine snapped, glaring through tear filled eyes. "I just do what I'm told."

Cuore's grip tightened on her wrist, but Kierann touched her elbow and shook his head. He'd seen people effected by the illegal elixirs before, and knew that Jasmine was out of her mind at the moment.

Cuore heeded his silent instructions and let the woman go, and thankfully she didn't try to bolt. She huddled into herself, continuing to shake and Kieran frowned. "How long since you've had one?"

She shrugged, "A week or two. They told me they'd give me more if I helped them…"

"Who?"

She stared at the ground for a second before answering, "I…don't know. They just…they bring the elixirs to town. They gave me this bracelet, told me if I wanted more I had to help them."

He caught her wandered gaze and tried to remain patient, "Help them do what?"

Jasmine blinked a couple times and then glanced out over the water, "They never did come back and give me what they promised, you know."

Cuore was obviously distressed by this conversation so Kieran reached out and physically turned the woman back to face them. "Hey, focus, would you? What did these people ask you to do?"

Jasmine licked her lips and started to rub her arm again, "I was just supposed to find kids for them. Kids with magic. They gave me this bracelet…"

"Why do they need children?" Cuore asked softly.

Jasmine shrugged lazily, "I don't know."

Cuore glanced at him, "How is she focusing enough in her daily life where no one has noticed this?"

"She's probably compensating for the lack of elixirs by downing potions and ethers…but she's only going to worsen unless she gets help." he explained, giving her a once over.

Jasmine hugged herself, "Can I go?"

"No," Kieran told her sharply, sparing her a brief glare. "I need to know what exactly you did, Jasmine. The day those kids went missing."

She stared at him and then ducked her head to study the ground again, "I…was supposed to find kids, right? They wanted ones with magic. That's why they gave me this bracelet. Felix was always late, so I figured no one would miss him, but…"

She glanced up at Cuore, "Your brother…I've never seen an aura with his strength before, so, I sent him too."

"Sent him where?" Cuore asked, leaning forward.

Jasmine shrugged, "Wherever it is that they go through the Serpent's Road. It's easy to send them that way, you know. No one can track it, they say."

Kieran nodded slowly, "Just like the elixirs,"

"Do you have any?" Jasmine asked, tipping her head to one side.

He sighed, resisting the urge to smack her, or yell at her and just shook his head, "No,"

She looked mildly disappointed but was distracted again and looked out over the waves.

Cuore hesitated, "We can't just leave her here like this,"

"I know…" he complained.

Jasmine paid them no mind and finally Cuore reached out to touch her arm, gaining her attention with a startled jump.

"Jasmine?" the teal haired hair coaxed. "Will you give me that bracelet?"

Jasmine clutched it protectively to her chest, "But…they told me to find them kids, and then they'd give me more."

Cuore nodded slowly, "Yes, but…I don't think they are coming back. Can I have that?"

The woman blinked a few times and then admitted, "I can't get it off."

"Here, let me," Cuore said, holding out her hand.

Jasmine hesitated before she held her arm out and Kieran watched as Cuore unlatched the device and pushed a series of buttons on the side. The bracelet snapped in two pieces and she caught them, making Jasmine recoil her arm with wide eyes.

"Thank you," Cuore told her gently.

Jasmine bit her lip, rubbing her arm again.

"Maybe Viola will know what to do," Kieran suggested, shrugging.

It took some persuading, and some tugging, but finally they managed to guide the half-mad woman back the way they came and find Viola, who was even more confused by what was going on. Cuore was too busy tinkering with the bracelet device to be much help, so Kieran was left to hastily explain to her what was going on.

Viola glanced at Jasmine, who was busying staring off into space. "I'll…figure out what to do."

He nodded and looked over to Cuore, "Hey, are you ready to go?"

She nodded and stood, snapping the bracelet onto her arm, "Yes."

Viola gave them a once over and then sighed, "Oh, be careful, would you?"

Kieran grinned as he walked by, "Anyone ever tell you that you worry too much Viola?"

"Yes, and anyone tell you that you don't worry enough?" she retorted.

He made a face, "…No,"

They headed back to the Serpent's Road and Kieran made a point to make sure Cuore wasn't completely forgone. However, she seemed mostly unfazed by what had transpired, and he was largely glad she hadn't taken out her worry on Jasmine.

The woman would have enough trouble trying to rid herself of the constant want for elixirs for the rest of her life.

They returned to the Serpent's Road and Kieran nearly groaned out loud when he saw that Hobby had involved Tycho in waiting, and that the newcomer was pacing the length of the small room.

Tycho glared at him, "What the hell is going on?"

Cuore frowned at him and waved her hand, "Step aside, I need to fix that."

He flipped his glare to her, "Who the hell do you think you are?"

She just smiled slightly and shook her head, but said nothing. Kieran sighed, "Would you calm down?"

Hobby nodded, "Y-yeah, I don't want to get in trouble again! Let them fix it!"

Tycho rolled his eyes, "Hobby, it's not even broken,"

"Yes, it is!" he argued.

Cuore wove around them and knelt down, inputting commands. While his roommates bickered, Kieran wandered over and bent down to hand her the crystal they had removed earlier. "You can fix it, right?"

She nodded up at him before turning back to it and starting to work. "First things first, this device's record crystal wasn't damaged, I should be able to backtrack and hack the system and find out where all matter streams have gone recently."

He nodded, "Good!"

Cuore continued to work and he tuned back into his roommates bickering long enough to realize they would be preoccupied for a few more minutes and didn't need him to even distract them. Tycho and Hobby, despite being friends, argued more than anyone had had ever met.

"There," she said, flicking a switch with her finger, "looks like…there were a couple of transportations that were from somewhere other than Baron and Mysidia…Troia to Babil to here…Damcyan area…"

Kieran paused, "Wait, wait…how long ago were those? And in what order?"

Cuore input a few more commands, "Looks like…Troia first, then Damcyan region…Starting a few weeks ago, and it looks like there hasn't been any activity since Leo went missing."

Kieran was busy connecting dots in his head and Cuore peered up him, "Are you alright?"

"I…need to check something." he muttered, uneasy. "How long will it take you to fix this?"

She shrugged, "Less than an hour,"

He looked over his shoulder, "Can you handle these two?"

"I can always incapacitate them." she replied.

Kieran nodded absently and stood up straight, "I'll be back,"

She watched him walk away, "Kieran?"

"Just, fix the Phen'Doe Mar. I'll be back," he told her over his shoulder, already worried that he had guessed correctly.

"_I hope I'm wrong_…" he thought with a shake of his head.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**More chapters! Two left before the story's conclusion! **

**Awww cliché campfire bonding scenes...how could I resist? And hey, Phoenix is good for something other then bringing people back to life; hugs.**

**The Maenad creation/mythology has been covered in my other stories, but for those of you who may not have read them, I included it. Also, even if you have read the rest of my stories, it's always good for a reminder.**

**Radiation poisoning. As I mentioned previously, I did do research into this subject when plotting out Kieran's backstory. In addition to burns, you get all the fun side effects of vomiting, bleeding, dizziness, fever and hallucinations, and from then on out, reduced nerve feeling on whatever part was exposed and weakened immune system. Which is why Viola was all stressed back in the start of this story about his injuries. **

**Keely: a Gaelic name meaning "Slender"**

**Kaiden: (Caden) means "Son"**

**I'm not sure when the next update will be, but the mystery is coming to a close. Parts are sliding into place...anyone know what's going on completely, yet?**


	11. Fear

The passageways were winding and dark one moment and then straight, wide, and overly bright another. Leo squinted at some of the weird wire-like lighting running across one wall and wondered what exactly it was.

It felt like they had been walking for hours, and they were all so tired they couldn't run anymore.

They'd passed some metal doors that were locked, but other than that, it was just endless tunnels.

"Are we there yet?" Felix whined, dragging his feet.

Rainbow was rubbing her arms and looking around with wide, fear-filled eyes. "Do you think we went the wrong way?"

Titania was keeping pace with her, silent but trembling.

Raj sighed from the front of the group, "I don't know, but we're never going to get out of here."

Leo frowned, "Stop it, all of you! We have to keep going,"

"But I'm so tired," Rainbow said, sighing. "My feet hurt, and I'm cold."

Felix and Titania nodded their agreement.

Leo glanced at Raj, who just made a face.

The sage haired boy sighed and crossed his own arms against the chill, "I know. I'm hungry and cold and tired too, but we can't give up!"

Felix sniffed and fixed his hat, "But do you think we went the wrong way?"

Leo hesitated and looked around, "I…I don't know." he admitted.

They had paused in one of the wider halls and Leo took a moment to look around. There wasn't much to see, just tawny colored stone walls and lanterns and some crates stacked on the side in a few places.

Titania shivered, teeth chattering, "Do…you think your sister will find us?"

"Yeah," Leo said, turning and forcing a smile, "She will."

Raj snorted, "Well, she's taking her time, then. We've got to keep going. I don't want to die here."

Leo glared at him but his harsh attitude got them moving again. The steps were slow and forced and largely wobbly, but they were moving.

Leo fell into step beside Felix, but he noticed that Titania dropped back to stay close to him and he glanced at her curiously.

She looked up at him with wide, green eyes, "I-I feel safer near you."

He reached out and took her hand, attempting a smile. But he was tired. He needed food and water and sleep just like the rest of them. Rainbow was clearly tired as well; her steps had become uneasy and drunken. Raj seemed alright, but he was slowing down as well. Felix just continued to drag his feet, kicking up dust on occasion.

They kept going, silent and alone, until a rush of cold air blew past them.

Leo stopped and shivered.

"Cold!" Felix exclaimed.

Rainbow nodded and Raj perked up, "But, it felt like wind. We have to be close to an exit!"

Leo caught onto what he was saying and nodded, "Yes, we have to be! I knew it!"

They quickened their pace as much as they could, feeling a few more bursts of air and following it through a more winding section.

They entered a wide, open room and froze on the spot.

There was an exit across from them, an exit into a nighttime snow storm, but standing in front of the door was Belladonna and at least a dozen others. She pointed a metal device at them and smirked.

"I'll give you kids one thing. You're annoying. But it's the end of the line, little ones. You're not getting out of here." she explained.

Leo glanced at the weapon she was holding, wondering what it was. It looked somewhat like a crossbow but was completely metal, with strange looking attachments to it.

Belladonna raised an eyebrow, "Curious about this?" she asked. "It's a weapon I've perfected. Care to see what it does?"

She pointed her device at the wall and fired. There was an odd, high pitched squeal before a bolt of light shot out and hit the wall. The spot burst into flames for a second and then died down, leaving nothing but black behind.

All of them had jumped at the display and Belladonna turned back, smiling and pointing it at them again.

"So, what will it be? Come back quietly or as corpses?"

Leo hesitated.

If they tried anything, they were dead, but if they went back with them, then he was pretty sure they'd die too.

He wasn't even sure what Cuore would do in this situation.

Belladonna frowned and gestured with her head to a man and woman behind her, "You know what? Bind them. I'm done playing around."

They nodded at her order and walked forward, and the woman in charge turned to look at two of her other men, "The red head charged enough for two transports. I'd like to hang onto her in case I need her. Let's try the boy with the hat. I've got a shipment ready to go and I'd like to make some money today."

Felix cringed as they started forward and Leo sprang into action. He wasn't about to let his friends get hurt, not when he was standing right there.

"No!" he shouted, running to the front of the group and holding his arms out protectively, "No, you stay away from them!"

Belladonna laughed, "Kid, are you serious?"

She flicked her weapon and it clicked, apparently reloading, and she pointed it at him once more, "Move aside."

"We wouldn't be any good to you dead," Leo snapped, trying his best not to shake.

Because honestly, he was terrified. But he was also stubborn, and protective of his friends and family.

And for crystals' sake, his parents had saved the world! Twice!

"You need us because we've got magic and you don't," he continued, keeping his voice raised. "You kill us, you've got to find more kids. And with five of us here, people are going to notice we're missing. You're going too caught!"

Belladonna laughed again, this time for a longer period of time while her men just hesitated to take action.

"Kid," she said, still chuckling, "you've got spunk, I'll give you that. And you're not completely wrong, either. Hell, if you were a few years older, I'd offer you a job!"

She shook her head and slipped her weapon into an attachment at her waist, "But spunk won't save you, and I don't need to kill you to restrain you."

She snapped her fingers and her lackeys stepped into action.

She was right. They were just kids, after all.

One of the men grabbed Leo's arm so hard he flinched, knowing it would leave a bruise there later. He was dragged from the safety of the group while the others moved to detain the others.

Raj tried to kick and punch and managed to land a couple of blows before they knocked him to the ground, making Leo cringe.

"Stop it!" he said, glaring at his captor.

The man just tightened his grip.

Belladonna watched, hands on her hips and guarding the doorway as her followers bound Felix's hands behind his back, none to gently. It would prevent him from using magic safely.

"You're the little ringleader here, aren't you?" she asked, eyeing Leo.

He glared at her and she smacked him across the face with the back of her hand. Leo winced as the man holding him yanked him back to his feet. Tears stung his eyes as Belladonna kept talking, glancing up to watch.

"It's hard to watch people you care about hurt, but you don't have a choice in the matter."

Rainbow tugged against her captor's hold, "Let me go!"

They pushed her to the ground as well and dragged Titania away from her. The poor red head just froze with wide eyes, as if she couldn't decide what to do.

Fighting back earned them nothing, no matter how hard they tried.

"Stop it!" Leo said again, "Leave them alone,"

Rainbow smacked one of the women's hands who tried to grab her and instead, a man pulled her up by her hair. Raj was yanked to his feet as well before pushed forward a few steps into another person's grip.

"Leave them alone!" Leo insisted.

He got smacked again but he didn't care, he was more worried about the others, and more concerned that they were going to be drug back to their cell and all end up the way Titania had before.

They needed to get out of here.

Speaking of Titania, she locked gazes with Leo briefly, over the panic that had overtaken the room, and he saw her expression.

He had expected to see fear in her eyes, to see her completely hopeless about their situation.

So he was surprised when her eyes narrowed into a glare.

Her hands shimmered and she grasped the arm that was snaked around her shoulders. The man behind her swayed and then collapsed, groaning.

Belladonna's eyes widened, "You little witch, what the hell did you do to him?!"

Titania trembled, but she held her shimmering hands up, "Y-you leave us alone, and s-stop hurting Leo!"

There was a tense pause as the lackeys weighed their options. No one wanted to get too close to her in case she acted out again, but they also didn't released their other captives.

Leo stared at her, stunned, and trying to figure out what she had just done.

Belladonna glared at her and one of the unoccupied men grabbed a fistful of her hair. She squeaked in surprise.

Leo's eyes widened, "No! Don't hurt her! Just leave us alone!"

Titania tried to twist around but she was yanked back so sharply that she stumbled instead into the wall.

Belladonna pointed her weapon at her again, "You might have plenty of magic to go around, but if touching you is dangerous, then I'm going to take care of you right here."

The red head cringed.

Something inside of Leo snapped as his gaze took in his wounded and terrified friends. They were in danger, and all he wanted to do was protect them.

"I said," he growled, "_leave them alone_."

Something welled within him; it was an unknown yet innately familiar feeling that surged into pure energy.

There was a flash of light that coupled with the desire to protect and to save. The power wove together with his anger and fear to bring forth something tangible that could help them.

A pattern of light spread across the floor, snaking around his feet, its dazzling light blinding.

Somehow, Leo realized he was telling that light where to do, what to form. Once the symbol was drawn, there was a howl that echoed in his ears, a sound borne of _magic_.

The moments that followed were a hazy mess; there was growl, their antagonist's eyes widened, the other kids screamed but most of all, Leo remembered pointing.

Something heeded his order to take down those that meant them harm.

There was a flash of white and blue, the brush of a flurry tail on the top of his head as a shape zipped overhead, but then everything tilted sickeningly and went dark.

* * *

It took some wandering to find the person Kieran needed to speak with, and even when he found him he felt no relief.

Kieran had a nagging suspicion in the back of his mind, one he couldn't ignore. It had led him to find an old friend, someone he wished dearly to think the best of, and yet, he couldn't completely ignore the facts, either.

Slim facts they were, but he had to be sure.

Kieran usually hated to be wrong, but this was one time he hoped he was.

O'aka appeared to be tallying numbers on a few pieces of paper when Kieran wandered up to his table, finding little comfort in the toasty warmth of the room. He ignored the other people present, those blissfully unaware of anything horrific or dark doing on around them. Those simply living and enjoying their lives.

Kieran stopped beside his table and steeled his nerves, trying to convince himself he was wrong, before finally clearing his throat.

O'aka looked up, blinked, and then grinned, "Kieran! Haven't seen you in a little bit, what can I do for you?"

Kieran forced half a smile, "I'm not sure…can I sit and we can chat?"

O'aka's smile widened and he pulled a chair out next to him, "Of course lad! I'd love too."

As Kieran sat, the merchant chuckled, "Saved me from doing these horrid accounts, you did. I was never one to keep perfect records, but you've got to have some, am I right?"

Kieran shrugged, still trying to rid himself of his tension. "You know dad always kept ridiculously detailed records."

At that, the other man chuckled again, "He did, he did…"

There was an awkward pause and Kieran swallowed before looking up, "Tell me something,"

"Anything," O'aka replied before taking a drink from his mug.

The dark haired young man hesitated, "You said before Baron you were in…"

He purposely left the end of the statement unsaid, and O'aka answered, just has he knew he would.

"Kaipo. Too warm,"

Kieran nodded slowly, "And before that?"

"Before? Oh, Troia." the merchant said, giving him a funny look.

"And before that?" Kieran asked, unable to keep the tension from his voice.

O'aka frowned, "Are you alright? What's so important about my travels, eh? This last year has been rather eventful, I'll say, but that's life for you…"

"Where before Troia." he asked again, sharply.

There was another awkward pause and O'aka shrugged, "Bit here, a bit there…"

"Fabul? Mysidia?" Kieran pried, not looking at the man and instead focusing on the tabletop.

"I'm a merchant, I go everywhere." the man commented somewhat tersely. "What's with the questions, lad? Something you want to ask me?"

Kieran considered the question.

He wanted to ask plenty, but he wasn't sure he could handle the answer.

But he needed to know, he needed to confirm or disprove his theory, and if there was anything O'aka could offer to help Leo and the other children, then he had a duty to ask and deal with whatever answer he received.

Kieran snapped his gaze up and shook his head, "I hope the answer to this is no, but I have a feeling it won't be."

O'aka gave him a weird look so he continued hastily, before he could think twice.

"Children have been going missing, kidnapped by the black market at similar times as confirmed shipments of illegal elixirs. Troia, Kaipo…you were there at the times of the last shipments, and at the times of these disappearances."

O'aka flinched and Kieran sighed, "Please tell me that it isn't you. Tell me you didn't get involved in the black market. Tell me you don't know anything about these kids…"

The man shook his head rapidly, "It's not what you think,"

Kieran glared at him, "What do I think, O'aka? Either you are involved or you're not!"

"I got in a tight spot, I owed the wrong people money, you see," O'aka hurried to explain, pleading in an imploring way. "You have to believe me! I'm not a criminal, but there was nothing I could do. Sell a few elixirs here and there, who does that hurt?"

Kieran's temper snapped, "Who does it hurt?!" he remembered to keep his voice down since the room was filled with other people, but even without the volume, his tone was filled with rage. "It hurts everyone! It hurts honest merchants trying to make a living, it hurts people like Jasmine who get addicted to these elixirs, it hurts families who loose children!"

"I didn't kidnap anyone!" O'aka protested, voice cracking. "A few runs with the black market, passing notes, hiding goods in with my normal wares, nothing serious!"

"Nothing serious?!" Kieran hissed, gesturing wildly, "Do you have any idea how far this goes? Did you know that the Scorpion Gang is involved? That they're using Lunarian matter transportation to ferry goods and people? That these poor kids are never heard from again?!"

"But I wasn't helping them with that!"

Kieran glared at him, "But did you know?"

O'aka hesitated, "I…"

"Then you _are_ guilty," he snapped, "you knew about the evil and did _nothing_,"

It was O'aka's turn to glare at him, and Kieran found the expression laughable.

"I had no choice!" the merchant insisted in a heated fashion. "You don't know the trouble I was in, what would have happened to me! They made me help them!"

"There is always a choice!"

The other man laughed bitterly, "Oh, that's easy to say when you're on this side of things, lad. Trust me on that one. It's easy to point fingers and say I'm guilty when you're sitting on the right side of things, eh? Try being on the wrong side once in a while and tell me there's a choice. Times are tough, you know. Not everything is all shiny now that the world is saved again."

Kieran wasn't sure whether to laugh or punch him in the face.

There was so much he could jump on in the man's last statement but he found he could was shake his head. Because, as angry as he was, his pity outweighed it. Pity for how far the merchant had fallen.

"O'aka," he said, sighing. "What did you get yourself into?"

"Don't judge me," he snapped.

Kieran averted his gaze with a sharp, bitter laugh, "Oh, you are treading on dangerous ground…I of all people know that not everything is fine in the world. I lost everything. Do you think for a second that I don't get it? That I don't get how hard it can be? But the moment you let yourself sink to this level…you've dug a pit you can't get out of."

O'aka closed his eyes, "You think I don't know that? I had no choice. I have to help them. They have me in a bind, you see? I knew they were looking for kids, but I swear I never helped them take them!"

Kieran threw open his hands, "That doesn't make it right!" He shook his head, "It doesn't matter, help me now. Where are they? Where can I go to find these children?"

"I won't betray them." O'aka said suddenly.

He stared at him, "Pick where your loyalty is; a group of thugs or an old friend as you call me?"

O'aka hesitated, "You still don't understand. It's not so simple."

"My friend's brother is missing!" Kieran nearly shouted. "For the sake of the friendship my family had with you, help me find him. Make this right."

"Friendship," O'aka spat, "Where did that get me recently? No one is there to help anyone in this world, lad, learn that now."

"I wasn't raised to believe that," Kieran retorted.

The merchant leaned back in his chair, scoffing, "And look where your family is now,"

That was the last straw.

Kieran stood and coiled his fingers into a fist, letting all his anger run wild as he punched O'aka so hard he fell out of his seat and onto the ground.

There was a temptation to continue the brawl, but he resisted that urge. Not only was it wrong to continue, but it was a waste of time. It would gain him nothing.

"_But crystals would it make me feel better_…" he thought, clenching and unclenching his fist.

But they didn't have time for that.

He owed Cuore his help in finding her brother, and this course of action wouldn't help him do that, no matter how much he wanted too.

Kieran glared down at him, "I don't have the authority right now to take you in, but please, _run_. Run as far as you can because I _swear_ to you that as far as you run, I will find you. I will chase you to the ends of this planet and back again."

He turned halfway around before the other man sat up and grabbed his arm to stop him.

O'aka looked mortified and shook his head, "Kieran-"

Kieran yanked his arm free and snarled at him, "Let me walk away, O'aka, because right now all I want to do is run my blade through your heart."

He gave him an contemptuous once over, "If you have a heart,"

Without another word he left the table and the building, frazzled and angry. He wasn't sure how to face Cuore and tell her about another person being involved in her brother's disappearance, let alone one he had known a long time ago.

"_People change_," he thought, crossing his arms against the bitter chill outside. "_And not always for the better._"

Still, he couldn't keep it a secret from her, not when they had made such progress. He had to keep his promise and not lie to her. But the thought that she might relapse at all in light of this news made him wince.

He'd gotten used to seeing her look at him with sincerity and respect, and on occasion, even appreciation.

He wasn't sure he could go back to seeing her look at him with guarded expressions or suspicion. To see her be so careful all the time and shielded would be difficult after all the headway they had made.

A few snow flurries were deciding to make their presence known, and a light wind was kicking up. Winter was descending upon them in force, now, and Kieran found the weather to fit the mood of the last few days rather well.

O'aka's outlook on the world wasn't so different from Cuore's. But the difference was, Cuore tried to make it better because of that whereas O'aka tried to tear it down.

Rather than snuffing out the darkness, he snuffed out the light.

"Idiot," Kieran mumbled, more hurt then he wanted to admit.

The world was a harsh place, but that didn't justify actions of less than admirable intensions. Everyone had a choice to do what was right or what was wrong, and their choices defined who they were.

O'aka had been a family friend, enough so that Kieran remembered him to this day. But at this moment, he wished he'd never met him.

The building that housed the Serpent's Road was coming into view and Kieran was busy dwelling on his brooding thoughts, so much so that he didn't see Cuore until she had run up right in front of him.

"Kieran!" she greeted, sounding genuinely happy to see him.

He cringed. How was he supposed to tell her what had just happened?

But there was something about the look on her face that made him blink at her.

She wasted no time in continuing, reaching out a hand to lightly clasp his arm, a smile tugging at her lips. "I know where Leo is!"

He just stared at her, taking a moment to hear and comprehend, but she was already continuing; "An Eidolon was just summoned, and he isn't mine or my mother's. It has to be Leo! Fenrir talked to my Eidolons and they told me. I think I can track him! I think I can find him!"

There was hope in those vivid blue eyes of hers. Who was he to dampen it?

"Where?" he asked instead, realizing she was serious.

Cuore shook her head, "Somewhere north…in the Fabul area, maybe? I'm not completely sure." She glanced back at the Serpent's Road door, "My guess, and my hope, is that the road that connects to Silvera then has another relay crystal that could transport us to Fabul. But I have no way of knowing for sure…"

Kieran grabbed her hand and started walking, "It doesn't matter, we have to try."

Cuore offered half a smile to him, worrying him with how trusting her expression was, "I'm not sure where these transports will take us, you realize that, don't you? I can't make you come with me."

Kieran stopped at the threshold of the door and turned his back to the inside of the building and took hold of her shoulders. "Cuore, I already promised you we would find your brother. You're not getting rid of me so easily blade dancer. You're stuck with me."

She grinned and nodded, "I was hoping you would say that, but this trip will be dangerous,"

"Because it hasn't been so far?" he teased, trying to keep the situation light. "We can do this, I will be by your side so long as you trust me."

He hoped he wouldn't regret saying that.

Cuore nodded, "Thank you. Let's go find Leo."

She slid from his grasp and he sighed, frowning as he followed her inside, "We need a backup plan, in case this Phen'Doe Mar doesn't lead us where we want to go,"

"What did you have in mind?" she asked over her shoulder, brow furrowing.

Kieran frowned and glanced to the side where Hobby and Tycho were sitting, watching them. He hated himself for what he was about to do, but saving lives came first, not his pride and vanity.

"Hey, you two. How would you like to get credit for saving a bunch of kidnapped kids?" he asked.

Tycho looked cautious, Hobby jumped to his feet, "Is this the black market case? Kain doesn't really keep us in the loop about that…"

Kieran waved his comment off, "Doesn't matter. Somewhere in the Fabul region," he glanced at Cuore, who nodded to confirm this. "There are kids that have been kidnapped. We're going to try and get there magically, you need to rally everyone here and get them moving to meet us there. I don't want to waste this information we've been given."

Tycho rose slowly, even as Hobby nodded in agreement. "And what are we going to tell everyone? How did we get this information?"

Kieran averted his gaze, "There's a merchant named O'aka who's involved with the black market. You can always say he told you. Or make something up. I don't care, just get to Fabul with some people and airships."

Cuore was waiting at the dais and he avoided looking at her as he ignored his roommates and climbed the steps to join her.

"Is that where you were?" she asked softly.

He shook his head, "I don't want to talk about it,"

He was surprised when Cuore's hand brushed against his arm gently, "I'm sorry."

"No, _I'm_ sorry." he muttered under his breath.

Cuore hesitated for a moment and then turned to input a command into the nearby panel. Kieran chose to call one last time to his teammates; "Don't mess this up, alright? I can't set up a more perfect way for you to get credit for doing nothing, so you better show up, got it?"

The area began to shimmer and Kieran closed his eyes, hoping that he was going to open them again and not just blink out of existence.

* * *

Leo felt like someone had gone inside his head and mixed his brains up like paint. He groaned and opened his eyes slowly, knowing he was going to be in pain even before his head started pounding.

"Leo?"

He blinked and turned his head to stare at Titania, who was kneeling next to him and peering at him with wide eyes.

"Is he awake?"

That was Raj's voice, and Leo closed his eyes for a moment, waiting to readjust to being awake, before he blinked at Titania again.

She smiled and then looked up, nodded, "I-I think so…"

Leo felt someone touch his shoulder and he turned the other way to see Rainbow grin at him, "Welcome back! You were out for a while."

Felix nodded as he wandered into view, "Y-yeah, Raj and I had to drag you…"

Leo made a face, "Drag me?"

"Away from those people," Rainbow explained.

Leo was still puzzled, and so he tried to sit up and was surprised to find that all four of his companions helped him.

"Ow," he complained, rubbing his face. "My head hurts…what happened?"

They didn't answer, so he looked up and blinked at their blank expressions. "What?"

"What do you mean _what happened_?" Raj demanded.

Leo frowned, "I don't remember…Oh, wait, did I summon…something?"

He did feel like the last time he'd summoned an Eidolon. When Eblan was in danger from monster attacks and he'd been overcome with the desire to protect. Alexander the defender had come to his aid then, even if he couldn't remember how he had summoned him.

That might have happened again, since he was having trouble remembering and was feeling slightly ill. At least it was better than last time.

"You did summon something," Felix told him seriously. "It was a wolf, and it attacked our kidnappers."

Rainbow nodded, "You didn't tell us you were _that_ Leo!"

He glanced from one of his friends to the other, seeing their awed expressions before he shrugged, "Oh…sorry?"

"Your mother is High Summoner Rydia, right?" Titania asked quietly, fiddling with the hem of his borrow cloak. "She can summon…the Sylphs, right?"

Leo nodded, "Yeah, and Bahamut, and all the others, too. I guess I didn't tell you that…"

"I didn't know you were a _prince!_" Felix complained.

Rainbow nodded, "Yeah,"

Leo made a face and shrugged again, "It's not a big deal…"

Raj stared at him, dumbfounded, "Not a big deal? Your royalty. You're a prince! You can summon monsters!"

"Eidolons," he corrected, not liking the term 'monster'. "And I don't think it's that big of a deal. I mean, I'm still me, even if I'm a prince."

He'd met some Eidolons. They seemed like nice people. A little odd, but nice.

The older boy rolled his eyes, "Whatever,"

"I've never been really good at summoning," Leo explained. "It happens by accident. I guess…I was really scared just now, and I wanted to keep you safe, so I must have called one without realizing it."

He dropped his gaze, "I'm sorry if I scared you,"

"_And I'm sorry to you, too, Eidolon. Mom says I'm not supposed to just pull you to my world_…"

Rainbow laughed, "I sure was scared but then that wolf saved us! It attacked and we ran and got you away, too!"

Felix nodded, "You saved us, you know."

"For now," Raj added, grumbling.

Leo grinned, "We all worked together to get out of there. Thanks for dragging me…" he trailed off and looked around. "Hey, where are we?"

"Another cave," Raj commented, standing up. "We shouldn't stay here, though. I don't want them to find us again."

They murmured agreement and Leo stood, swaying on his feet as the cave spun. Titania grabbed his arm to keep him upright. He grinned at her and she hesitantly smiled back.

A sudden thought occurred to him as they left the safety of the cave and stepped out into the snow beyond. It was getting lighter out, but snow flurries were still falling in lazy arcs around them, dusting the ground as it sloped downward.

"Titania?"

The red headed girl glanced at him, "Y-yes?"

"What did you do back there?" he asked, curious.

Rainbow turned around, smiling, "Oh! You missed it because you were sleeping. She healed Raj's hurt hand! Isn't that great?"

Raj made a face at having been mentioned, but Leo just felt more confused.

As they picked they're way carefully along the frozen ground, Titania explained. Her voice was so soft, however, that Leo strained to hear it, even walking at her side.

"I-I told you, my magic is different than yours…I…took some of that man's energy and gave it to Raj to heal his hand."

Leo thought about what she said. "So…you're a healer?"

"Um…kind of. It's not that simple. Not like white magic." she whispered.

"Oh."

Titania looked up at him shyly, "I just…I didn't want them to hurt us, especially you. I'm not so good with my magic either, but my aunts are helping me."

Leo grinned, "We'll get better, we just have to practice!"

She nodded and they started to take a winding path down the side of a cliff where the caves had been.

Raj squinted into the snowy shadows of the darkness, "I think…I know where we are. We're in Fabul. We call this the Highlands. It's up north, closer to Mt. Hobbs then the actual city."

They paused at his side and Felix adjusted his hat again, "Should we…just start walking?"

Leo shrugged, "I guess we can try to get to Fabul." He turned to Raj, "That's your home, right?

The boy scowled, "Yeah, so?"

"So, do you know how to get there from here?" Leo asked, crossing his arms to try and stay warm. He was freezing.

Raj hesitated, "I think so. Maybe."

"Okay, you lead." Leo said, pointing.

They all stared at him and he made a face, "What?"

"Don't you want to lead?" Raj asked sharply, frowning at him. "You are a _prince_."

"I told you," Leo complained, "It's not a big deal. You know where we're going. I'm still just Leo, okay? We're friends!"

Raj snorted, "You're not _my_ friend."

"What is your problem," Rainbow asked, putting her hands on her hips. "You're such a grumpy cat…"

Felix nodded, even as Raj glared. "Y-yeah, we're friends. We're a team, too."

Titania nodded.

Raj sighed, "Ugh, whatever. Let's just go."

They started to walk and Leo skipped up a few steps to walk alongside Raj, annoyed with his attitude. "Hey, what's with you? Why don't you like me?"

"You called me a coward,"

"Nah, you didn't like me before that," Leo countered, frowning. "I want to be friends."

Raj sighed and glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, "I don't…I mean, it's not that I don't like you, you're just so…"

Leo held up his hands, "I'm what?"

"Perfect."

Leo stopped walking, staring at him. He was confused.

Raj sighed again and paused as well, which made everyone else huddle around as well.

"Look," the older boy started, crossing his arms stubbornly. "I ran away from home because I didn't want to do what my family always does. We always train. We're traditional. All my older brothers…but I don't know that I want to do that. They said I was a coward,"

Leo winced, "That's why you got so mad at me…sorry."

Raj shrugged, "Whatever. It's fine. I guess I'm going home…"

"You must miss it," Rainbow whispered. "I miss my home, and my mom…"

Felix nodded, "Yeah, me too. I want to go back to Mysidia. I want to see my parents."

Leo's eyes studied the snow beneath their feet, "I'm tired of running. I want to go home, too."

Raj groaned, "Do you hear you guys? You all love your homes but I don't love mine! It's like a prison to me!"

"Then, don't go back," Leo suggested. "You could…go somewhere else."

"Like?"

He hesitated, "Well, you could come with me. I'm sure you'd be bored but still, if you wanted too…"

Raj just stared at him.

The pause lasted so long Leo made a face, "Or not, sheesh…"

Raj turned without a word and continued walking, making them follow him unless they wanted to get separated in the snowstorm. It was cold, and before long they were shivering and clustered around, trying to stay warm.

"W-we need to find shelter," Felix said, teeth chattering.

Raj nodded and looked around, "But where?"

There was something swirling in the snow ahead of them, something Leo couldn't make out no matter how much he tried to squint.

"What is that?" Rainbow asked, coming to stand by his side.

He shook his head and Raj turned, glancing into the mists just as they shaped into a humanoid figure.

"It's a Leshy!" Raj said, taking a couple steps back. "They try and ambush travelers,"

They were unarmed, and even if the monster didn't appear to be very threatening, it was still circling them like they were prey.

Leo's head was still muddled from his accidental summoning, and he stumbled as he tried to back up, leading Felix to help him.

They continued to walk backwards but the Leshy advanced, form made of nothing but green mist and hands outstretched as if to hug them.

Something told Leo he wouldn't enjoy that hug.

"What do we do?" Felix asked, swallowing hard. "Should I try magic?"

Raj shook his head, "Don't bother, they aren't that tough, and magic doesn't really hurt them all that bad."

"Then what do we do?" Rainbow asked again.

Leo glanced at the older boy, "You've got a plan?"

Raj frowned, "Well, I heard if you hit them in the right spot, they…like….vanish. They're made up of misty stuff."

"Where's the right spot?" Leo asked, keeping one eye on the Leshy.

The creature hissed and tried to claw at them with her long fingers, but they were still too far away. Raj narrowed his eyes, "Hang on, let me try something,"

He ran forward and ducked under the flash of her nails and then slipped his arm up, using the heel of his palm to smack the Leshy where her shoulder joint should have been.

With a cry the figure puffed into mist that curled upwards and was lost among the snow.

He glanced over his shoulder, "That spot,"

Rainbow clapped and jumped up and down, "Well done!"

Felix and Titania nodded and Leo grinned, "Hey Raj, you're pretty good at that fighting stuff. How come you don't want to train like the rest of your family?"

Raj frowned, "Just because I'm good at it doesn't mean I want my life to be like that."

Leo nodded slowly, trying to wrap his head around what Raj's problem was, but then got distracted when he noticed the sun slowly rising. Even with the snow blocking most of the light, it was getting brighter.

"It's almost daytime." he pointed out.

Raj nodded, "We need to find somewhere to stay…we need to keep moving, too. To stay warm."

They shuffled along for a few minutes and Leo wandered up to the older boy and offered him a slight smile, "Hey, I wanted to say I was sorry. For calling you a coward."

Raj just stared at him so Leo shrugged, "You're not so bad, you know? I still want to be friends."

He sighed, "You're not so bad either, Leo. For a prince, I mean."

Leo rolled his eyes.

"If we survive this, and you're ever in Fabul…I don't know," Raj said awkwardly, shrugging. "Come visit me or whatever."

Leo beamed at him, "I will!" He frowned, "Oh, wait, I don't even know your last name. How am I going to find you?"

"Lee," Raj replied, frowning, "But there's a million Lees…"

Rainbow bounced up to meet them, shivering but forcing a smile, "Come see me, too! All of you! I live in Troia. My last name is Sprig."

Felix sniffed, "I-I wouldn't mind visits…"

Leo flung his arms open wide, "We'll all stay friends after this! You can come and visit me, and meet my sister."

Rainbow gasped excitedly, "Can I see the castle?"

"Sure, but it's not that cool…" Leo said, scratching his cheek and wondering why she seemed so excited.

"What about the tower?" Felix asked, eyes wide.

Leo shrugged, "It's ugly. At least, dad says so."

He wasn't so sure why they seemed so overly excited about his home. It _was_ great, but it wasn't that special, not like where they came from.

Titania hadn't said anything and so he glanced back to see her falling behind. He dropped back and touched her arm, "Hey, Titania, are you alright?"

She was shaking and her eyes were half-lidded, "I-I'm just not so used to the cold…it's a lot warmer where I come from, and it never snows."

Leo wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "Well, we're going to find somewhere to rest, okay?"

He tried to keep his voice cheerful, though really he was worried about the growing snowstorm that was whipping cold into their faces. They needed to find somewhere safe and warm and dry, and they needed to find it fast.

But in the meantime, they needed a distraction.

"Hey, Rainbow, I've never been to Troia. What's it like?" he called up ahead.

She brightened, "Well…"

* * *

The effects of the Phen'Doe Mar slowly drained and Cuore blinked her eyes open, glancing down in surprise.

They were up to their knees in water.

"Oh," Kieran muttered beside her, "Lovely."

She glanced at him and offered a half-smile before wading out of the crest and dropping into the water around the raised platform. Luckily it only rose a few inches up her legs and she took a moment to look around.

"This is odd," she mentioned.

Kieran had likewise stepped out of the crest and he glanced at her, "What is?"

"This room has no exit. It's literally just a room to hold the Phen'Doe Mar relay." Cuore explained.

"Well, we're in Silvera, right? Who would want to go there anyway?" he commented.

She hesitated, realizing the panel she needed access too was under water. Kieran stopped at her side, and apparently noticed the predicament as well. "So…how do we take a look?"

She frowned and closed her eyes, "_Sorry to bother you for something like this_,"

"_Hey, that's okay_." Cagnazzo assured her. "_Gets me out of the house for a while_,"

With a deep breath Cuore began the phrase to summon, eyeing the rest of the room while she did so. There wasn't much to look at. The vaulted, rocky ceiling spread out overhead, and the whole room only had enough space to hold the Phen'Doe Mar platform with a few feet to spare in any direction.

It was unnerving.

"Drowned king of water and tides, come and aid me against my adversaries! Cagnazzo, I summon thee!"

Bubbles rose from the water and Cagnazzo peeked his head up too look around and then frowned. "This is…interesting."

Cuore nodded and put a hand on her hip, "I know…is there any way you can drain the water for me? I need access to a panel but the water will damage it."

Cagnazzo nodded, "If water is getting in, I should be able to make it go out the same way. Hold on a second…"

He disappeared from view and Cuore waited patiently while he searched.

She happened to notice Kieran watching the water around his feet carefully and she grinned, teasing, "Don't worry, Cag won't drag you under or something."

"You heard Phoenix," the young man retorted, "Apparently the Eidolons have no love for me, remember?"

She frowned, "Yes…I need to ask her about what she meant…"

"She meant they hate my guts," Kieran remarked, shrugging. "It's not really surprising. They're your protectors, they worry about you."

Cuore stared at him, and he made a face, "What?"

"…Not many people understand the bond between summoner and Eidolon," she explained. "But…I feel that perhaps you of all people do."

"What's there to get?" Kieran replied, "It's a symbiotic relationship. They need you and you need them, in a way. Your…soul-bound, right? More than friends, more than family…You're interdependent with each other."

Cuore's eyes widened, surprised at how easily he described their relationship but unable to voice it out loud.

Kieran was looking over the room as he finished almost distractedly, "Summoners are never alone, after all. You're never truly independent. The whole point is that you're bonded to something beyond merely yourself."

He let his gaze fall back to her and looked sheepish, "Or, I'm just making garbage up,"

Cuore shook her head, "No…you seem to understand it…quite well…"

In fact, he explained it better then she had ever been able too. Cuore felt the water shift around her and cast her eyes downward, even as she spoke to him.

"It's that something beyond that makes the test to become a summoner so important. It has to teach you sacrifice. When you're bound to another being, your fates become intertwined. Your life isn't your own anymore, not completely. It's a great honor, and a heavy burden."

"And that's why your Eidolons love you so much," Kieran told her.

She blinked at him, but their conversation was cut short as the water slowly drained, revealing Cagnazzo's form underneath and he grinned at Cuore, "There you go! Sorry it took a moment. I'm not sure where we are, but it's weird. There's water in three directions out of four."

"An island?" she asked.

He nodded, "Could be."

Cuore smiled and walked passed him, letting her fingers skim the top of his skull as she made her way towards the nearest pillar. "Thanks Cag,"

"Don't mention it. Need me for anything else?" he asked.

She shook her head and knelt in front of the panel, "Not at the moment."

"Alright, call when you need us!"

She dismissed him from her world and sent him back to his, and then she got to work examining the insides of the Serpent's Road at this end.

What she found did not encourage her.

"This power cell is damaged," she said aloud, surprised. "That could be why we've never found this device. It's been active for less than a year, and it's spent."

Kieran stood behind her, leaning an arm on the pillar, "That doesn't make any sense. If the power cell is damaged, how is it running?"

Cuore shook her head, "I'm uncertain. It's leaking energy. It shouldn't be able to function."

"Can you fix it?" he asked.

"No." she said, shaking her head again and then glancing up at him, "I don't have the proper components."

"Does it have enough power to get us back to Baron?"

She hesitated.

Kieran used his other hand to rub his forehead, "Of course not."

"I'm sorry." she whispered.

He shrugged and stood up straight, "It's not your fault."

Cuore stared at the crystals inside, noting how dull they looked without the power running through them. Less like glass and more like coal as they sat, abandoned for who knew how many years.

"I don't get it through," Kieran said, starting to pace. Really he could only take three steps before having to turn around again. "How did we get here if the power's shot?"

"It takes half the power needed from the place your coming," Cuore explained, still staring at the insides. "And then half from the place your going. It's a two-way channel, you see."

She flipped open the display on her newly acquired Lunarian tech, the Ii'Tash.

"I'm reading faint power but not very much, almost like…" she trailed off and frowned. "It's almost like someone used this recently and there was a little juice left in it before it shorted out."

"Convenient timing." Kieran muttered.

She shook her head, "But that's the weird part. These circuits have been offline for some time, so how…"

She froze, and Kieran likewise stopped pacing.

"Wait," he said, looking at her over his shoulder, "the power supply is what's damaged?"

"Yes."

"And the circuits leading to it?"

"Yes."

Cuore pulled out a crystal before he even continued.

"What about the other circuits? The ones that go to all the other systems and interconnect?" Kieran asked, kneeling beside her.

"Those are fine," she whispered. "I…"

"This is what they need the kids for, isn't it?" he asked quietly, eyeing the control panel. "Lunarians don't distinguish between magic and other forms of energy. It's all power to them that travels in waves. Light, sound, radiation, magic. They just think of it as the same thing."

"Ves'Per." Cuore whispered.

He was right. The Lunarians only had one word to describe wave-formed energy; Ves'Per.

"So, they capture the kids to power their little devices to run their black market goods through these channels, keeping out of sight…" Kieran summarized.

Cuore closed her eyes, "It's why they only take children with magic,"

"And since the Scorpion Gang doesn't do magic," Kieran added, "They can't use their own sources to power these."

She stood, "I can channel magic into this and power it."

Kieran looked up at her, "You can?"

She nodded and pulled out a long wire from the pillar's main interface, checking the conductor lead at the end. "Yes. The same way they use the children."

"Um, Cuore," he said, standing as well. "Won't that…I mean, their draining magic, aren't they?"

She glanced at him.

Her expression must have answered whatever he wanted to ask her, for he flinched and then touched her arm.

The touch was light, feather soft and oddly comforting, ringing of protection with the way his fingers coiled slightly against her skin. Cuore blinked, surprised by his reaction.

"I don't want you to do this," Kieran told her.

She stared at him, "The only alternative is to stay here, forever,"

"But this will hurt you, won't it? What if you pass out or something?" he asked.

She turned back to the panel, "Then I would hope you would carry me out of here once the way is opened. I'm getting us to the next relay station in the chain. I hope it will be the one we need."

"I can't talk you out of this, can I?" he asked quietly.

Cuore grinned at him, "No. I will find my brother and this is the only way. I won't let these people drain his magic so they can continue to sell their illegal elixirs and stolen Lunarian equipment."

Kieran sighed, releasing her arm and stepping back. "Alright. Let's just get this over with. What do you need to do?"

Cuore closed the Ii'Tash's display and then sighed, plugging the wire she had into the side of her bracelet. "I'm going to run it through the Ii'Tash. It will help me measure the output easier and only give enough to get us where we need to go, and not too much."

"Good," he agreed, watching what she was doing closely.

Cuore took a deep breath, "I'll turn it on, and it should automatically drain my magical forces to power up. Once that happens, input the following commands to get the matter stream going to right way."

She showed Kieran the buttons to tap and he nodded, "Got it."

"If I do pass out before deactivating the link," she warned, "please rip it out for me. I'm not keen on the idea of having my life force sapped and dying in this hole."

"Noted."

Cuore took another deep breath, "Ready?"

"I'm not the one preparing to give magical blood," he quipped.

She had to admit he was right and then flicked the switch. The result was instant.

She gasped as she felt the machine demand power, sparking along the wire and the Ii'Tash until it registered her as an outside power source. She could feel the magic being sucked out through her veins and leaving her system as if someone were peeling it out of her in long threads.

She'd been careful to shield the parts of her link to her Eidolons so that they wouldn't feel any backlash or even distress on her end.

The Ii'Tash read the power output and the device came to life, crest glowing as Kieran put in the commands on the dashboard.

Cuore was far too engrossed in the strange sensation of the moment to notice much, but she was aware of when the Ii'Tash's displayed showed she had given more than enough power to sustain the device and the matter stream.

Cuore ripped the wire from her arm with a slight cry and staggered on her feet in sway, unable to focus on anything for a moment.

Kieran grabbed her wrist and gave her a tug, helping her up onto the platform of the Phen'Doe Mar. At her odd look and reluctance to follow, he whispered, "Time to go,"

The lone cavern faded from her sight, and Cuore felt her body protest the giving of her magic moments before as it began to ache. She felt like collapsing, but being transporting elsewhere stopped that from happening instantly.

"_Is this what the kids are going through? Oh Leo_…"

The Silvera relay was behind them, but they matielrized into a less than ideal situation.

"Crystals," Kieran swore at the same time Cuore muttered; "Kastra."

* * *

**Happy 100,000 words...**


	12. Justice

A crackle of energy flashed against the pillar of the Phen'Doe Mar, making Kieran wince.

"What the _hell_ are they firing at us?!" he asked over the din of unfamiliar noise.

Cuore was crouched beside him, hands on the platform in front of her, head ducked down so that the Phen'Doe Mar hid her from the shots.

"SevRhens."

He stared at her, wincing again when another bolt struck near they're hiding spot. "A what?"

"It's a type of Lunarian weapon," she explained, sparing him a brief glance. "they are long range armaments designed to fire off discharges of magical-like energy."

She turned back towards their attackers, "I would not suggest getting struck by one,"

Kieran stared at her flatly, "No duh."

They both cringed when another fired straight over their heads.

They had warped right into the base of what Kieran assumed was a black market or Scorpion Gang hideout, coming face to face with a dozen or so men and women dressed in basic clothing. They had immediately drawn their unfamiliar weapons and started firing.

"Can't you use some magic?" he asked.

Cuore shook her head, "I'd need to see what I'm aiming at or I might make this whole cavern collapse. I assume we're underground."

"Then what do we do? They've got us pinned down and we're all out of SevRhens," he stated sarcastically.

Cuore frowned at him and closed her eyes, bringing to murmur under her breath in a pattern Kieran was getting used to hearing.

"Emperor of flames and heat, come and grant my enemies defeat! Rubicante, I summon thee!"

Kieran wasn't a huge fan of magic. He didn't hate it, but he found it a bit unnerving and more trouble than it was worth. But still, there was something about the way Cuore cast spells and summoned Eidolons to her side that was…enticing.

He could feel the air around her fizz with the magic she called forth, it was as if she was bending the laws of nature to her will. Her voice almost _sang_ the words of the complex summonings, and yet there was something innately familiar about hearing her speak that way.

The emperor of fire appeared with a flick of his cloak, but he was quick to drop down next to his summoner when a shot from one of the SevRhen's barely missed his head.

"Lovely situation you've found yourself in," Rubicante commented.

Cuore flashed him a grin, "Isn't it?"

"I assume you have a plan?" he asked.

She nodded and peeked over the platform for a spilt second before turning to face him, "Do you think you can melt their weapons? SevRhens are made of metal, after all."

Rubicante's expression was dry, "And how am I going to get close enough to do that?"

She rolled her eyes and Kieran frowned, "They hold them outward, can't you get them from here?"

Rubicante cast an annoyed look at him.

Cuore grinned, "Come on, Rubi, it's time to show off. I could always summon Barb out here to take care of it or Mi-"

"No need to _insult_ me," he muttered, standing up.

Kieran watched closely and even then missed everything that happened; Flames danced around their attackers but didn't actually hurt them very badly, it seemed. Their weapons did melt and the few people that did fire off shots merely missed with the low visibility.

As the weapon's fire stopped, Rubicante snapped his fingers and the fires died instantly. Those that had been knocked to the ground in the commotion stared with wide eyed at their new foe while those still standing took off down a rocky corridor.

One man pointed his still-operational SevRhen at the Eidolon, but Rubicante just frowned, reached out and tapped the top of it with his fingertips.

"I wouldn't do that," he commented calmly.

The metal device melted halfway.

The remaining forces scrambled to their feet and took off and Cuore shook her head, "Let them go, we have to figure out where we are."

Her Eidolon nodded and then grinned at her, blowing some excess smoke from his hands.

Cuore rolled her eyes as she got to her feet, "Show off,"

"And?" Rubicante asked, shrugging.

Kieran stood as well and looked around. The walls were brown sandstone, etched into a crude room with jagged contours. The Phen'Doe Mar was at the center with only one exit. There were a few crates and barrels stashed in the corners of the room.

Curious, he wandered over and pried the lid off of one to take a look at the contents.

Cuore came over as well, leaving Rubicante to trail after her. She made a confused face, "Bananas?"

Kieran shook his head and dug a little deeper, revealing glass bottles of golden liquid.

"Elixirs," he commented, pulling one out and holding it up to the lantern light in the room. "Illegal and toxic. This is clearly the black market's hide out."

Cuore nodded but then swayed on her feet, reaching a hand to catch the edge of a crate but missing it regardless.

Kieran caught her by the shoulders before she fell completely to the ground, mentioning, "I wish I had one of these that wasn't noxious. You look like you need one…"

She shook her head and raised a shaky hand to her forehead, "No, I'm fine."

"Liar," he hissed under his breath.

She glared at him, though she looked mildly amused, as if she knew he wasn't really all that angry. He was more worried and shifted his grip on her so she could lean more weight on him, commenting, "We should rest here for a moment before trying to continue onward."

Cuore frowned, "We don't have the time,"

"I'm not arguing with you,"

"And I'm not resting."

He sighed and shot her a pointed look, "Then what are you doing right now?"

Cuore's eyes narrowed, but Rubicante interrupted and gently pried his summoner away from the dark haired young man. Kieran made a face at his protective, almost resentful expression, as if it was solely Kieran's fault Cuore was worn out.

"You should rest, and you should dismiss me. It's draining your energy." Rubicante told her.

She grinned up at him, "But I need you here to clear us a path in case we run into anymore bad guys,"

He sighed but nodded, "Very well."

"And I'd better not catch you healing them…"

They proceeded onward, keeping one eye out in the darken tunnels for more trouble, but also learning as they went.

"These are…" Kieran said, pausing to run his hands along the tubing on the wall, "Oh…what's the word…I saw them in Babil."

Cuore glanced over her shoulder to see what he captured his attention and nodded, "They are fluorescent microfilaments. They supply light."

"How do they produce such a bright, white light?" he asked, hurrying to catch up.

She continued to walk once he was back with them, and Rubicante glanced back to shake his head at them both, though he said nothing and continued to lead.

"They contain a trace amount of mercury, and that is contained within the shell, if you will. A substance is used to-"

She trailed off and paused, cocking her head to one side, "Did you hear that?"

"That bang?" Kieran asked, stopping at her side and drawing his weapon in one fluid arc, "Yes."

Cuore drew her katanas and nodded, frowning.

They crept along the wall carefully, following the small noises they heard coming from up ahead until they stopped outside one of the large metal doors. For once, it was flung open, revealing a storage room inside.

There were boxes, and sacks, but most of all there was a long table set up in the middle of the room with clearly Lunarian tech scattered about.

Cuore's eyes widen and Kieran glanced at her, likewise surprised by how much there was. If all the doors in this place hid similar rooms, then the world was littered with more Lunarian garbage then anyone had thought possible.

These pieces were just stolen from the divine delta. The Scorpion Gang had to have found them in more places than that.

As they processed what they saw, they overheard a conversation, "I'm not really sure what this is supposed to do," one man said, fiddling with a device in front of him.

A woman across the table shrugged, "Who cares? We'll make something up when we try to sell it. No one's going to question us."

"Belladonna likes to know what everything does, though," he complained, breaking a piece off and wincing.

His associate frowned at him, "Well, I don't see her down here helping,"

"Don't say that so loudly!" he hissed.

Cuore glanced at Rubicante, who frowned, and Kieran noted that they said nothing, yet seemed to be having a conversation. He sighed lightly, annoyed at being ignored and waited to see what they were going to do.

Kieran made note that she completely ignored him since the archfiend had joined them, and he mused that perhaps she had favorites among her Eidolons. After all, none of the others had remained in this world this long.

Then again, she was still uneasy on her feet, and she hadn't used any other magic since powering the matter stream. Maybe she was relaying on Eidolon guardian to keep her upright.

Engaging in a fight against these few guards seemed to be a waste of time, but he wasn't sure what Cuore would decide to do.

She glanced at him and nodded her head in the direction of the furthest tunnel from them. He nodded understanding and they moved on.

Cuore's steps were soundless, and Kieran tried his best to mimic her as they walked, further into the lair. The stone hallways turned to twisting paths and the bright lights from before faded into patches of lanterns.

Once they were sure they were alone, Rubicante set a hand on her shoulder, making her look up and back at him.

"Release me back," he remarked, "You're tired."

She frowned and Kieran nodded, "I've got to agree. You're moving a little sluggishly."

She glared at him, but sighed and then nodded, dismissing her Eidolon back to the Feymarch before glancing down at her wrist, reading the output on the device she had attached.

"I'm reading power surges coming from this way. It's faint, but…I don't understand what it could be…" she explained.

"What is this spike?" Kieran asked, reaching over her shoulder to tap the display.

Cuore glanced at him, surprised, and he shrugged, "I've been keeping an eye on that thing. The Phen'Doe Mar spiked in different places, so, what Lunarian device makes that sort of power profile?"

"I'm uncertain," she commented, frowning, "It's not something very large, maybe…"

There were footsteps coming towards them and he grabbed her arm to pull her into the first alcove they saw, which seemed to be a smaller storage room like the others, though this one was thankfully empty.

Kieran pressed his back against the wall of the alcove and watched Cuore shut the display on her bracelet, plunging them into darkness.

A few people hurried by with snippets of conversations that didn't make much sense out of context.

They stayed where they were for a moment or two more and then Kieran sighed, "Can that Ii'Tash read all magic? Can you find the kids with it?" he whispered.

Cuore was frowning as she tapped the controls, "I've been trying, but I haven't been able to find them…"

She wandered out of their hiding spot and looked up and down the hallway, "I suggest we keep moving."

They started again and Kieran fidgeted, looking around, and finally drew Cuore's gaze. She frowned at him, "What is it?"

"This has trap written all over it," he commented. "All that weapon's fire when we first arrived didn't draw anyone's attention?"

Cuore pursed her lips, "A valid point…"

"We should be cautious." he warned, adjusting the grip on his weapon.

She nodded and they moved on, deciding to head for the power they were reading and go from there.

They encountered no more people, and that just made it all the more obvious they were walking into a trap. Cuore was doing a good job of pretending she wasn't unfocused, but Kieran could tell by her pace and less graceful footing that she was.

It wasn't until she actually did trip, making him catch her and hold her upright, that Kieran forced her to sit on a crate and take a break.

She complained, he ignored her and leaned against the wall opposite, keeping an eye on one passageway.

Cuore massaged her temples, "I _am_ fine," she insisted.

"Uh huh," he muttered, crossing his arms and switching his gaze to the other tunnel.

She frowned at him and let her hands drop into her lap, shifting uneasily as she sat, as if she couldn't wait to be moving again.

Kieran frowned at her, "What is it?"

"I…" she bit her lip, "I don't…like the feeling of being vulnerable."

He just stared at her, "Who does?"

Cuore sighed and glanced away, "I feel safer around my Eidolons, but even then, I prefer to know that I can take care of myself…"

"You're just mad because it's me you're stuck with," he teased, hoping to get her mind off where they were for a moment.

She grinned at him, "Exactly. How awful."

"Your life is hard," he agreed in a joking fashion, pushing off the wall. "Come on, we should go spring this trap."

Cuore nodded and he held out his hand to her. She blinked at it and then looked amused. "Since when are you so nice?" she asked him, looking up.

He rolled his eyes and she hopped to her feet without assistance.

It took another fifteen minutes at least until they come within range of the unknown power spike the device showed them. Even this close Cuore mentioned she couldn't get a clear reading on what it was, and they stood at the threshold of one of the impressive looking metal doors.

They stared at it.

"What do you think is on the other side?" Kieran asked, idly twirling his weapon through his fingers.

Cuore shrugged, closing the Ii'Tash and drawing her katanas, "Giant monster,"

"Robot," he guessed.

She smirked, "Dragon,"

"Zombie robot dragon,"

They both exchanged a glance and then a nod, preparing themselves for what might be on the other side. Kieran knew they were probably in over their head, but they'd come this far and he'd promised her he would do whatever it took to find her brother.

They threw open the door and came face to face with a group of heavily armed men and women who opened fire with more SevRhens.

Cuore and Kieran ducked back around the door, only to see more soldiers running form both ends of the tunnels to meet them.

"Trap," both Cuore and Kieran intoned at the same time.

She flashed him a grin he recognized as a challenge and dashed forward to meet the first of the attackers head on. Before they had any time to discharge their weapons, she had sliced the weapons in half with one blade and knocked them back with another.

Spinning around, she called to Kieran, "Cover me while I summon!"

He gave her a look, wondering how exactly she expected him to do that but nevertheless ran forward and dodged one shot to flick his blade and disarm the nearest guard.

Deciding his swallow wasn't going to do him any good, he instead picked up the fallen weapon and held it at them, "I have no idea what this does, but I'd love to find out."

Those closest flinched, and Kieran pointed it instead at one of the barrels nearby, letting the bolt fire out and strike the object.

It went up in a burst of fire and smoke, proving that there had been something inside. It provided the distraction he was hoping for and he tossed the SevRhen aside, glancing back at his comrade to check on how she was faring.

Cuore's voice reached a fever pitch at that moment; "Embodiment of pain and night, come forth and end this fight!" Anima, I summon thee!"

The whole place trembled as the summoning crest flashed dark blue, and everyone froze.

There was something in the air, a tension that was almost painful against the skin, before all the false calm was shattered with an ear piercing screech.

It was inhuman yet terrifyingly familiar, and Kieran cringed as the beast rose behind Cuore, as if clawing its way out of the ground, though its hands were bound to its chest by thick chains.

The Eidolon was as scary as any monster that had ever been seen, and quite a few of their attackers ran, screaming, even before she tipped her head and screamed again.

Kieran winced and covered his ears, though that didn't seem to help the noise any. No, the shriek was soul wrenching, as if Anima were vocally ripping apart thoughts and dreams.

Cuore's touch on his shoulder lessened the pain somewhat and he glanced at her, apparently fine from her Eidolon's attack.

"Sorry," she said, looking apologetic, "I didn't think it would affect you, as well."

Those around them crumpled to the ground, falling into an unconscious state. Cuore waved a hand at Anima and her cry ceased.

Kieran closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, hoping the raging headache he felt would subside shortly.

He glanced at those around them, lying in dazed heaps on the floor, and even without voicing his concern, Cuore spoke up as she nodded to Anima and dismissed her. "They'll be fine. Anima's paralysis only lasts for about an hour."

"And me?" he complained, rubbing the back of his neck, still out of it.

She smiled at him and brushed past, "You'll be fine in a few minutes, sorry about that."

They entered the previously guarded room, finding that all its occupants were in similar states, save for one, who was kneeling on the ground.

She looked up and smirked, pulling a helmet made of crystal off her head, flicking a visor back as she did so. Short, cropped blonde hair fell down and covered one eye as she stood.

Their weapons were at the ready as she tossed the crystal headgear aside, "Nicely done, High Summoner. I didn't expect to meet you here of all people, but I applaud you for felling so many of my comrades."

Cuore frowned, "And you are?"

The woman smirked again, "Me? Well, I'm Belladonna, mistress of the Scorpion Gang."

Kieran knew she was up to something, but she made no moves and merely gestured to the discarded helmet, "The Lunarians made such…interesting items. That blocks magic, telepathy and provides information on targets just by looking at them."

She eyed Cuore, "Funny thing, though…couldn't read you…"

"I'm not surprised," Cuore muttered, lifting one katana and pointing it at her, "Where's my brother?"

Belladonna didn't reply and just held up her hand, palm upwards, "Do you know what this is?" she used her other hand to press it and a shrill siren went off, not unlike that of Anima's scream.

This one, however, didn't feel like it was ripping apart his soul, it was just annoying and Kieran used his free hand to cover his ear, wincing.

Cuore, on the other hand, screamed as if it hurt and dropping her weapons to the ground, clutching at her head. She collapsed first to her knees and then just as the device shorted out, she fell onto her side, eyes rolling into the back of her head.

Kieran knelt beside her worriedly and checked her pulse. It was racing, but it was steady, though she didn't wake up.

Belladonna sauntered over, smiling, "A stunner. They affect those with magic in their blood. Funny thing for the Lunarians to make, but I'm not complaining. That was my last one, but its well worth the effort to take out the only living Maenad."

Kieran glared at her and she grinned, pointing a SevRhen at him. This close, he could make out the bluish runes on the top and the pulse of power through barely visible channels along the sides.

"Your magic user is down, care to give up?" Belladonna asked, one hand on her hip.

He sighed, "I guess I don't have much choice, do I?"

"No," she chuckled, holding out her free hand. He reluctantly gave her his swallow and she took a few steps back, mentioning; "Don't worry, your little pet isn't dead, she's just resting."

"How do these…stunners work?" Kieran asked, keeping one hand on Cuore's arm as she slept.

The woman shrugged, "Hell if I know. I don't really get any of this tech, but who cares? I keep enough to keep me and my gang safe and the rest we sell to idiots who will probably fry themselves trying to figure it out."

He scoffed, "What's in it for you?"

"Gil," she said, shrugging. "What else?"

"How'd you get involved with the black market?" he asked shortly, somewhat glad she was chatty.

Belladonna leaned against an odd looking crystalline device behind her. It stood about six feet in the air and appeared to be cracked with the way sparks crackled along a thin looking scar along the edge of one side. It had a metal casing around the base and coils of steel wire wrapped around it, but it did pulse lightly.

"You're quite interested in me," she mused, eyeing him, "Guess it couldn't hurt to talk, seeing as I'll be killing you in a few minutes, anyway. Besides, it's been awhile since any guy was interested in _talking_ with me…"

Belladonna braced her foot on the device behind her and rested the SevRhen on top of her knee, resting her arm but still keeping it poised to shoot him.

"Well, the Scorpion Gang has always had an interest in Lunarians and their advancements. Just think what these weapons and technology could do to our world if we figured out how to use them?"

"Yes," he said scathingly, "Think of all the people you could kill with advanced weapons."

Belladonna laughed, "It's not just about weapons, though yes, I'm in love with this little slinger, here…" she rubbed the top of her SevRhen. "I once cured a dying old woman of some unknown disease with a Lunarian orb. It shattered afterwards, but just think if we could make more of those?"

"So you're a saint?" Kieran asked, scoffing.

She shrugged, "Not exactly. I want money, remember? But people pay a lot of money for miracles. The black market was so small ten years ago…petty and trading mere swords from one kingdom to the other. Now they trade powerful items that are capable of more than anything we can dream up…"

She shrugged, "The Scorpion Gang finds the tech, the black market provides channels for us to sell it off. It's a win for everyone."

"And the elixirs?" Kieran asked, frowning.

Belladonna brushed dust off her black and purple jumpsuit as if she was disinterested in the topic. "What about them? The black market's bestselling product, I guess. The only reason I got involved was because I found the extra Serpent's Roads and who doesn't want to use them?"

He nodded towards the thing behind her, "And that?"

Belladonna looked over her shoulder, frowning, "I'm not sure…" She turned back and smirked, gesturing to Cuore's form still collapsed on the ground. "I'm hoping your pretty friend can help me with that one."

"What makes you think she knows anything?" he retorted. Surprisingly, he felt a surge of protectiveness over the woman's statement.

She chuckled lightly, "Oh please, I'm not stupid. You're from Baron; didn't you people ask her to help with your airships? She's some brilliant super genius, right?"

Kieran blinked and the woman smirked again, kicking his swallow that was at her feet, "This is a Baron make."

"You're from there,"

"Clearly," she bragged, pushing off the crystal behind her. "We always did make the best weapons,"

Kieran glared at her, "What makes you think that Cuore's going to help you with anything? You kidnapped her brother,"

Belladonna wandered over, SevRhen swinging at her side. She knelt in front of him and used her non-weapon hand to lift his chin, "Because she's not going to want anything to happen to you, of course."

He made a face and she smiled wickedly, "Don't worry, though; As long as she tells me what that thing back there does, I won't hurt you."

"You should be more worried about yourself," Kieran commented.

Belladonna raised an eyebrow, "Why is that?"

He smirked and clasped the two pieces of the Ii'Tash around her arm before flicking a switch on the side. It overloaded and with wide eyes and a cry, Belladonna reeled back as the device shocked her.

It burned out in a few seconds and he stood, kicking her fallen SevRhen out of reach as she clutched her arm to her chest, curled into the ground, pain flashing across her features.

"That's why," Kieran said, glaring at her. "You were right, after all. We from Baron are pretty good at figuring out how things work, aren't we?"

"Go to hell," Belladonna hissed, trying to pry the bracelet off her arm. She cried out in pain and he frowned, "I wouldn't do that. It's likely fused to your arm. A white mage might be able to get it off, but you're just going to rip all your skin off."

She glared up at him but he just grabbed her, hauled her to her feet, and pushed her to sit at the base of the glowing rock behind her. Kieran bent to pick up his weapon and scowled at her, "Now, where are those missing kids?"

Belladonna made a weird face, still clutching her arm, "That's what this is about? Some stupid kids?"

Kieran bent to retrieve her discarded SevRhen and looked it over, "I've seen what this can do, I'm curious though how much damage it does at point blank range."

She scoffed, "Are you trying to scare me? I've faced down soldiers from almost every kingdom, I've been locked in Lunarian strongholds…You're not going to make me talk."

Kieran grinned, "Well, you can talk to me, or we can wait for Curoe to wake up. Your choice."

Belladonna looked away, pursing her lips.

He shrugged and backed away, keeping an eye on her, "Alright, then we wait."

* * *

Cuore moaned and slowly opened her eyes. It took a moment for the room to focus, and then she felt her Eidolons hastily check on her. She took a moment to assure them she was alright, even if she was having trouble piecing together what had happened.

"Welcome back,"

She blinked and shifted to sit up enough to look towards the voice, "Kieran? What happened?"

"You passed out. Lunarian device." he explained, not really telling her much.

Cuore groaned again and tried to sit up, surprised when Kieran gripped her shoulders, helping her, and even more so when his fingers barely grazed her cheek.

"Are you alright?"

She blinked at him, confused as to why his tone of voice was different and distracted by the way he was half-hugging her. She decided her head was still muddled from the stunner.

"I'm fine," she whispered, catching his hand and removing it from her cheek.

Kieran nodded towards the other side of the room, but didn't release her completely, "Meet Belladonna, leader of the Scorpion Gang. She has no idea what that thing does behind her and she suddenly become quiet when I wanted to know anything about the missing children."

Cuore glared at the woman and she glared right back, obviously knowing they were talking about her.

Cuore got to her feet, annoyed Kieran insisted on helping her, and finally pushed him away with a slight frown. Turning her attention to the woman in front of them, she was overcome with the urge to smack her in the face.

Here was the woman who had taken her brother from her, who had poisoned the world with her vile elixirs and who had, just a moment ago, tried to kill them.

"It's just us. The door is locked and I moved all the others out into the hallway in case they woke up." Kieran explained.

Cuore nodded and walked forward, "Good."

Belladonna gave her a once over, "Oh, is this the part where you torture me and I spill all my secrets?"

Cuore found her attitude about the situation to be repulsive, adding fuel to the fires of her rage.

The woman must have noticed how it affected her because she smirked, "Oh, does my sarcasm bother you? Too bad, sweetheart. I've got nothing to say to you, and you're crazy if you think you're getting out of here alive. My men will come too and they vastly outnumber you, even with your witchy powers."

Cuore noted the Ii'Tash attached to her forearm and the burned skin around it and decided to ask Kieran about that later.

"Where is my brother?" Cuore demanded.

Belladonna raised an eyebrow, "How the hell should I know?"

Enraged, she reached out and snagged the front of the woman's high collared shirt and pulled her to her feet, snarling, "Don't waste my time! Where is my brother?!"

Belladonna laughed in her face, though she winced at the rough treatment, "Your brother…was he that cute kid with the sage hair? Are you hoping to find him? Is that it?"

Cuore trembled and Belladonna whispered, "Emphasis on the word '_was_' in my last sentence."

Her temper boiled over and she slammed the arrogant woman into the crystal behind her, having trouble deciding what spell to use on her. Melt her skin with inferno? Freeze her soul with whiteout? Crack her bones with cataclysm?

With a wince, the woman just chuckled again, "Everyone is so scared of you, Maenad. It's kind of laughable, actually."

Cuore snarled at her, "I know you're lying! Where is my brother?"

Belladonna just frowned and said nothing.

"I have ten Eidolons who heed my orders, two katanas forged out of rare Lunarian materials and a dozen deadly spells at my disposal, please, continue to waste my time…"

The woman winced when she was slammed back again but still wore an annoying smirk, "Oh please, if you kill me I can't tell you anything, and none of my men will, either. You're wasting your time on trying to threaten me, I've heard it all before."

Cuore trembled with all the force of her emotions; rage at this pathetic woman trying to stall her, hatred that such people existed in the world in the first place, guilt that Leo had been taken and she hadn't found him yet.

"Your dearest little brother is gone," Belladonna mocked, grinning up at her.

There were warnings from her Eidolons, but Cuore ignored them and released the woman, letting her fall to the floor with a surprised exclamation.

Her voice was deadly calm.

"Do you honestly think that I'm in any mood to play games?" she hissed. "I'm a Maenad, do you know what that means?"

The woman watched her carefully and Cuore knelt down, narrowing her eyes and running her fingers along Belladonna's temple, "It means, you _stupid_, pathetic sample of _inferior design_ that I can slip my way into your mind and shred your memories until I find what I want."

"Cuore…"

There was a warning tone in Kieran's voice, and she paused, watching as Belladonna swallowed thickly, still trying to put up a brave front. "You'd never cross that moral line,"

"Watch me." she retorted.

The woman's gaze flickered in Kieran's direction, "He wouldn't let you."

"He's not the one whose brother you took," Cuore reminded her sharply. "Tell me where Leo is. Now. Or I go digging into your skull and see what secrets I find."

She was surprised when Kieran grabbed her arm and hauled her away; surprised and annoyed.

"Alright, stop it." he commented, frowning at her. "You're not yourself."

"She is-"

He tightened his grip on her arm, "Yes, I know. She's awful, she's weaker then you are, she's clearly telling you lies, but…" he sighed and his intense tone faded into a softer one. "This isn't like you. Not like the Cuore that I know."

She dropped her gaze, annoyed he was telling her the same thing her Eidolons would if she hadn't silenced their portion of the link for a moment.

"Look, I get it, okay? You're mad, you're hurting but Cuore, this isn't right." He told her quietly. "I might do the same thing if I were in your position but I wouldn't be a good friend if I didn't stop you from going something that you'd regret."

She closed her eyes, "Your right."

It was hard to admit that, and hard to let go of all her wrath but he was right. What she was considering doing was _wrong_. She'd always known it was wrong.

Belladonna laughed from behind them, "Ah, I knew it; your all talk."

Kieran glared at her over his shoulder and Cuore frowned, annoyed.

"Let me go and I'll tell you where your brother is, deal?" she asked, tipping her head to one side in a mocking fashion.

Kieran glared at her, "You're trying to bargain your way out of this?"

"What?" she asked, shrugging.

Cuore crossed her arms, "Are you sure I can't just read her mind?"

Belladonna chuckled, "Every second you waste talking to me…well, need I say more?"

"Fine," Kieran snapped, pointing at her, "We'll let you go after we've seen if this information is any good you have."

"No deal. Freedom first."

"And what's to stop you from just running off?" he asked, frowning. "We're not stupid."

Belladonna shrugged one shoulder, "Whatever. I'm not saying anything unless I'm promised a full pardon."

There was a tense standoff and Cuore was surprised when Kieran glanced at her and then turned back to Belladonna, muttering, "Fine."

The fact that he was willing to let this awful person go for Cuore's sake both flattered and bothered her. They had little choice, but she still found it disgusting.

Because of her feelings on the matter, as conflicted as they were, she stayed away as Kieran finished negotiating with the sickeningly arrogant woman and watched with annoyance as she walked by, intent on leaving and stopped at Cuore's side to grin.

"Your brother isn't here anymore. He summoned some…thing and scared my men half to death. I let him and his little pals run off into the snow. They've likely frozen by now. I heard a storm was coming."

Cuore was too stunned to move, but Belladonna stopped at the door and tossed them a smile with one last comment; "Good luck,"

Leo was alone, with the other children, out in a snow storm.

She raced for the nearest exit, fearing that Belladonna's sardonic words were true. If they were, she'd never forgive herself.

She could hear Kieran following behind her, and luckily they easily backtracked to the exit, coming across no one but already knocked out members of the gang from their visit.

The exit was a stark contrast to the inside of the caverns and they paused at the edge of the snow, looking out into the white wasteland.

"I can't believe you just let her go," Cuore said quietly.

Kieran shrugged, "She's got an Ii'Tash fused to her arm. Are you telling me there's no way to track that? Besides, I'm still holding out hope that Baron is going to show up any minute."

She grinned as they stepped out into the frosty fields. Snow was falling rapidly and Kieran shivered, "It's colder up here,"

"Our elevation is higher," she replied, looking over the endless terrain. Her heart sank as she saw how much ground they had to cover still. The kids were out in these elements and lost, what were the chances of finding them at all?

"That reminds me," Kieran said beside her. "What was that thing behind her?"

Despite the dire situation, Cuore grinned and turned to him, "A rock."

"…What?" he said, confused.

She chuckled and started down the hill, "It was just a piece of rock. There's nothing special about it."

"But…it was glowing," he argued, following after her.

She shrugged, "That was a piece of the moon they used as a ship. That's why it was giving out a slight power spike. But truthfully, it's completely useless unless someone were to melt it down and use it for scrap metal."

"Irony." he mused.

They started to walk but it quickly became obvious that they wouldn't have an easy time finding the kids. The worst of the storm seemed to be over, but the fresh snow covered any possible tracks. The area was deathly silent, the way it always was in winter, and there were no signs of movement as far as the eye could see. There were patches of trees and ground cover, but nothing that would led them to the missing children.

Cuore's legs gave out underneath her and she fell to her knees, drained.

Emotionally, physically and mentally drained.

It had been a hard road, one filled with unease and torment and after everything they had been through, it was going to end like this.

So close yet so far away.

She braced her weight on her hands and hung her head, feeling tears pool under her lashes.

What did they do now? Where did they go from here?

"Cuore?"

She pulled her fingers into the snow, fisting some of the powdery substance between her fingers. "I…I don't know what to do."

She hated feeling so useless, so helpless, so unsure. It was hard to even know where to go from here, since the situation seemed horrible hopeless.

Kieran hesitantly set a hand on her shoulder, kneeling beside her, "Hey, we'll find him."

She bit her lip, "I've already told you; you can't promise me that."

"I promised you that we'd try," he countered.

She glared at him, "We _did_ try, look where that got us!"

"So what? We give up? When we're this close?" Kieran argued, squeezing her shoulder. "Come on, Cuore. Pull yourself together."

She wanted to believe him, she wanted his words to move her into action, but she found herself unable too. Everything just seemed so hard, suddenly…

There was a rumble overhead and they both glanced upwards, seeing an airship flying above them. It's shadow passed over, blocking out the sunlight for a brief moment.

Kieran made a face, "Really? One airship? Wow, thanks. Your faith in my word is amazing…"

It went overhead, making the tops of nearby trees dance briefly. The rumble slowly faded and he sighed, "Well, I did tell them to go to Fabul…"

Cuore opened her eyes and stared at the snow beneath her, "Maybe…we should do the same?"

"It's worth a shot. The kids might have gone that way, too. And even if they didn't, we can get help. I think we've gotten as far as we can without help."

She nodded, distracted, and stood, trying her best to defeat these unhelpful emotions. Phoenix said she had to face them as she would a foe. Cuore found that description to be perfectly apt.

They changed direction slightly and followed on the ground the same path the airship had been seen taking. Still, it would take them a long time to reach Fabul with their current pace.

There was a rustle off to the side and they both drew their weapons, staring into some underbrush that was littered along a winding, uneven pathway.

Cuore squinted into the bushes, trying to make out what it could be, when the rustle moved to the left. She glanced over and saw a boy fall out of the scrubs, landing flat on his face with a surprised sound.

There were whisperings and a little girl poked her head out to prod the boy's shoulder, "Felix! I told you to be careful, I heard something…" she trailed off, eyes wide as she spotted the other humans.

Cuore blinked, surprised at seeing children, and lowered her blades.

The boy, apparently named Felix, sat up and rubbed his head before freezing once he spotted them too.

They were frozen in fear, it looked like, and Cuore was too surprised to say anything at all.

Then there was another sound of movement and a familiar boy stepped out from around a taller brush, face wary, "Hey, what…"

Leo's expression brightened, "Cuore!"

There was nothing in the world that could have felt better than seeing him and hearing his voice. The relief Cuore felt was almost painful.

Her katanas slipped from her fingers as tears stung her eyes, "Leo!"

He moved to run towards her but she was faster and dashed over, dropped to her knees and pulled her younger sibling into a bone-crushing embrace.

"Oh, little brother," she whispered, one hand caught in his fluffy hair and the other wrapped tightly around his smaller frame.

He chuckled weakly, "Sissy…I knew you'd find me."

Her tears finally fell at that and she gave him another squeeze, feeling him return the embrace with his own tiny arms.

Cuore finally realized she needed to make sure he was alright and she pushed him away, hands on his shoulders, to look him over.

His skin was cold to the touch, his cloak was missing, she noted. Worst of all he seemed tired and shaky, and there were bruises on his face.

Her hand softly brushed aside his bangs, "Oh, Leo…"

He smiled faintly, "I'm okay."

She wasn't so sure, but then he sort of half-fell against her, leaning heavily into her and resting his head on her shoulder as he looked back.

"Guys, it's okay…"

Felix stood and brushed snow off his clothing while Rainbow nervously brushed at her hair, obviously realizing they could move now.

Leo grinned up at her, "These are my friends."

Cuore smiled at them, hoping they would relax now that they realized no one was in danger anymore.

"Everyone, this is my sister, Cuore."

He gestured to them, "That's Felix, and Rainbow, and Raj and…"

Leo made a face, "Where's Titania?"

The others all looked around, confused, and it was Raj who frowned and spoke, "I really don't know…she was here a second ago…"

Rainbow tugged at her disheveled appearance before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a crumpled note, "She gave me this a few minutes ago and told me not to read it…I didn't really know what it was…"

Leo made a face and Cuore reached out to take it from the little girl, holding it down so Leo could see it while she read the apparently missing little girl's note.

"_Don't worry, I'm fine. I have to be home before the sun sets today, you see. One of my aunts found me and is writing this for me. She said that people are coming to find you. She says you'll all be safe. I'm glad to have met you all. Thank you. Titania_."

Leo made a face again, "I don't get it…where'd she go?"

"Maybe she's in Fabul," Cuore suggested softly, still holding him close.

Raj snorted, "Nice of her aunt to tell us this in person!"

Rainbow rolled her eyes, "Gosh, stop being so mean."

"Yeah," Felix muttered, fixing his hat.

There was a familiar rumble overhead and everyone looked up, Kieran was the first to make a comment, "They must be circling since we weren't in the city,"

Cuore nodded and picked her brother up so she could stand, "We should have them fly the children back to the city so they can rest."

He nodded and glanced over at the kids who were staring, awed by the sight of the large ship in the sky.

"Hey, any of you want to ride an airship?" he asked.

Rainbow's eyes widened, "For real?"

Raj wrinkled his nose, "Are those things safe?"

Kieran grinned at him, "You can always walk the rest of the way,"

Raj glared at him. Leo giggled and buried his face into his sister's neck to try and muffle the sound.

She gave him another hug, silently vowing to never let him out of her sight again.

The airship must have spotted them because it circled around once and then shifted over to land in an open space nearby.

Kieran waved the other children over, "Come on, first one there gets to see the engine room."

They all perked up and raced towards the ship, while Cuore glanced at him, amused. He shrugged and walked past her while she slowly made her way through the snow, refusing to release her brother.

Leo spoke up as they walked, "I knew you'd come find me. Whenever I got scared, I just reminded myself that you were coming."

Cuore hugged him tightly and kissed his forehead, "Always, little brother. Always."

She closed her eyes, "I'm sorry it took me so long,"

"It's okay. I didn't make it easy. We had to run." he explained, arms wrapped around her neck.

They came within range of the airship and Cuore noticed that the kids were already talking excitedly about the ship, the little girl being brave enough to reach out and stroke the side of it.

Cuore was surprised when Leo wriggled in her arms, clearly wanting to be put down. She was reluctant to do so, but he finally flashed her a grin, "I'll be fine sissy. They're my friends."

She sighed, but smile, and gently set him down on his feet.

Leo raced over towards them, calling out something about how airships weren't as cool as Eidolons.

Amused, Cuore chuckled and silently thanked her Eidolons for their help, telling them to find Fenrir and thank him, as well.

"_He didn't have to come to my brother's aid_…"

"_The Feymarch adores Leo_," Phoenix mentioned. "_Fenrir says it was his pleasure to assist_."

Curoe smiled, but worriedly played with her sash around her hips. Fenrir had bound himself to Leo by coming to help him, and the way was not approved by the Eidolons entirely. Still, if there were no hard feelings, then perhaps everything was fine.

Leo looked over and called, "Cuore! Can you summon something?!"

She grinned and nodded, whispering a quick, sing-songy spell and bringing forth the cheeriest of Eidolons; Midgardsormr.

He winked at her and she giggled, knowing he would enjoy playing with the children.

"Hey kids! Wanna hear a joke?" he asked, slithering through the snow towards them. They squealed and giggled, and Leo shot her a happy smile.

She realized her back felt lighter than it should and sighed, realizing she'd left her katanas back in the clearing. She'd have to retrieve them before they left.

Not only that, but she owed them help with rounding up all the Scorpion Gang members, tracking down Belladonna and figuring out what to do with all the stolen Lunarian tech and illegal elixirs.

She sighed. There was still so much to do.

"_I just want to go home_…" she thought wearily.

"Blade dancer,"

Cuore turned at the familiar nickname and reflex took over, leading her to reach up and snag her blades out of the air. She frowned at Kieran, who had thrown them, and he just grinned back.

"I figured you would want those,"

She nodded and sheathed them, "Yes, especially since we need to go deal with the Scorpion Gang hideout."

Kieran shrugged and gestured behind him, "It's fine. There's another airship coming and I already told them where it was and what was going on."

Cuore frowned lightly, "But…"

"Don't worry," he said, shrugging again, "Baron is slow but they get it. I'm just glad Kain's not here…he's going to be _mad_…"

She smiled sympathetically, "I know. We should get these kids back to Fabul so they can rest, but I will help you explain everything and deal with this mess we've made."

Kieran shook his head, "No, you take your brother and go home, Cuore."

She blinked, "What?"

"I already told captain what's-his-face that he's too take you back to Eblan and take these other kids back home. The reinforcements will handle the crime situation."

"But…I should stay and help explain the situation…and wait, how come they're listening to you?" she said, tipping her head to one side.

Kieran winced, "They aren't. I lied. Said it was Kain's idea."

She just stared at him. He shrugged, "What? He's going to mad anyway, I might as well abuse a little power while I can…"

"But this is my fault, all of it. I should-"

He groaned, "Go home."

"Are you…sure?" Cuore asked, staring at him skeptically.

Kieran nodded, "Yes, more airships are already on the way. They'll be here shortly. Take your brother and go home, Cuore."

She hesitated and he made a shooing motion with one hand, "I'm serious, go!"

She smiled, then, noting the hint of amusement in his voice.

"Thank you," Cuore said, half turning as she spoke, already taking steps towards where her brother was waiting.

Her smiled widened when she saw him talking animatedly with his new friends, no worse for wear after his ordeal.

Still, everything could have turned out very differently, and the possibility of what could have been haunted her.

Leo meant the world to her, and she failed him.

Everything had worked out in the end. Leo was safe, they had found the other missing children, stopped the masterminds of this plot and discovered even more long buried secrets of the Lunarians.

None of it would have been possible if she had been alone in this endeavor. When she failed, someone else picked up and did what she couldn't.

Cuore paused and took a moment to watch her brother argue with the older boy, Raj, about something before he gave up, rolled his eyes and turned his back, deciding to ignore him.

Sometimes the best friendships and bonds were formed out of opponents; Sometimes that tension was needed to strengthen and sharpen, like iron against iron to forge an impressive blade.

Bonds were what made life worthwhile and meaningful, and without them, everyone would be forced to stand on their own.

And alone, what could someone hope to do?

"_I'm glad Leo has found some comrades_…" she thought, amused by their antics.

Alone she would have failed to find her brother, of that she had no doubt, so she turned, glancing back over her shoulder.

It was spontaneous; she was caught up in sentimentality and giddy with joy at rescuing Leo.

At least, that was how Cuore justified running back over and tossing her arms around Kieran. He had obviously not been expecting it, half turned away as he was, and stiffened at the contact.

"Thank you," Cuore whispered, closing her eyes and refusing to feel embarrassed for the action.

There was a spilt second in which she thought he might shove her away and ask what she was thinking, but then he sighed and relaxed. He freed one arm from being pinned and wrapped it around her shoulder, apparently accepting the embrace.

"You're welcome."

She smiled, somewhat surprised by the soft tone of his voice though it pleased her. She could get used to hearing him talk to her like that.

Cuore pulled back, leaving his arm to slide off her shoulder, releasing her, though she didn't move away just yet.

Instead she leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Kieran froze again, obviously caught off guard.

Cuore flashed him a grin, "I owe you one, Kieran Astor."

Before he could recover enough to speak or move, she dashed back over to where Leo was, tired but alive and well, spending time with his friends.

"Alright, let's get you home." She said, smiling.

They looked relieved, and Leo hugged her around the waist, "I'm ready to go home, sissy."

"Me too."

As they boarded the airship, she squinted and noticed the others incoming from a distance and bit her lip, feeling badly for leaving Kieran to deal with all of it on his own. But, he had told her to go, so she would.

It was her duty to make sure the children got home safely. She would do the best job she could.

* * *

"Sissy!"

Cuore's eyes snapped open at the loud, excited call of her brother just as he threw himself on her sleeping form.

The air was pushed out of her and she coughed lightly before grinning at him, "Yes, little brother?"

The smile on his face was so large it was almost frightening as he looked down at her, "Cuore! You have to come downstairs! Mom and dad just told me the best news ever!"

She grinned, "Did they now?"

"Yeah, come on!"

He hopped up and down on her bed and she giggled, rolling onto her side and giving him a light push, "I'll be right down, how about you go on ahead?"

Leo sighed, but hopped off the bed anyway, "Alright, but you better hurry! This is the best news!"

Cuore sat up and watched him dash out of her room, smiling.

This was her home, and everything was right in the world so long as she was here, and so was her family.

For all of the darkness she had run into over the past week while searching for Leo, coming back here to her family completely safe and intact made up for it.

She was grateful beyond words.

Cuore slid from under her covers and brushed her long, teal hair over one shoulder, looking out the window and pressing her other hand's palm flat against the cool glass.

It was snowing, almost so much that it was a whiteout, but she still smiled.

The world wasn't perfect, but it was still her home.

Since her return, she had endured quite a few reprimands about her behavior and how she had handled the situation.

Mostly her parents were overly worried about the whole thing, but relieved they were both alright.

She hadn't lied exactly to save face with them and the rest of the world; she had just edited the truth lightly.

The story she told would be almost perfectly accurate, just with a few minor changes.

Rather than tell her parents that Mysidia had been unhelpful and almost completely the opposite, she'd said that their investigation with the black market put them on the right track.

After all, she'd learned plenty in Mysidia, just not from the authorities.

Rather than explain that Kain had been trapped for days in meetings with Mysidia's council to try and gain access to their evidence to help, she just told everyone that Baron had given her invaluable information on the subject.

Which was true; Cecil and Rosa had told her everything, right before they told her not to get involved.

And instead of tattling on Kieran for breaking nearly every rule he could, she said that he had been her greatest alley.

That was the truth. She wouldn't have found her brother without his help.

It was better her family thought he had been ordered to accompany her, to help her, to be a hero. Baron would save face with her parents, who were rightly annoyed about Leo being in danger, and Kieran would hopefully gain an image other than Kain's grumpy apprentice.

Overall, she wanted everything to go back to normal. Some of what had happened was her fault, and she wouldn't let anyone else's life be ruined because of it.

Friendships needed to stay intact, alliances strong, and emotions cooled.

"_Everything worked out in the end_," she mused, hopping down the stone steps outside her room, hoping to catch her brother.

She twisted her hair into a braid as she walked, light on her feet, "_I do hope Kieran didn't get into too much trouble because of all this_." She sighed and tied off the end of her braid with a white ribbon, "_I also hope our next meeting won't be so awkward. We're not so different, he and I…_"

Leo bounced from around a corner and she jumped, surprised.

His eyes lit up, "Did I just…scare you?"

Cuore made a face, "I was lost in thought,"

He wasn't listening and dashed off, "I just snuck up on Cuore!"

She rolled her eyes and hurried after him, "You did not little brother!"

They ran through the halls, him instancing to everyone that he had snuck up on her, and she instantly denying it.

"I was lost in thought!" she demanded as they skidded to a stop in one of the larger dining halls.

Leo grinned at her and hopped back a few steps, "Nah uh, I just totally snuck up on you!"

Cuore pursed her lips, annoyed but also amused, "Unlikely. My senses are heightened to-"

"Cuore, let someone else be good at something once in a while," Rydia teased, sitting in one of the chairs.

Cuore made a face, but Leo just grabbed her hand and forcibly pulled her further into the room, practically radiating joy. "Sissy, sissy, guess what?" he asked her, holding onto her hand with both of his.

She shrugged largely, "Yes, you said there was news." She glanced at her parents slyly, "I have no idea what that could be."

Leo didn't give them a chance to answer and just blurted out; "I'm going to have a little sister!"

He sighed dramatically, "Finally!"

Cuore grinned and ruffled his hair, "_We're_ going to have a little sister," she corrected fondly.

He nodded, "Yeah! I'm going to be the best big brother ever, I swear."

He was gone in a flash, calling over his shoulder, "I need to tell everyone!"

Edge opened his mouth to probably veto that idea, but Leo was already gone and he ended up just sighing.

Cuore smirked at both of them and put her hands on her hips, "It's about time you told everyone,"

They both stared at her for a moment and Rydia finally frowned, "You knew?"

"How?" he father asked.

Cuore chuckled and shook her head, "Mom's moods are horribly unbalanced lately, she's wearing different dresses and I caught her consuming unusual foods."

Rydia looked thoughtful, "I haven't been eating anything strange lately…"

"I saw you mix vinegar and brown sugar into your rice and eat it."

Edge cringed, "Ew, gross."

Rydia looked sheepish, "Its good!"

Cuore rolled her eyes with a smile, "So yes, I had guessed already." She chuckled again and remarked, "You better hope you _are_ having a little girl, because Leo has his heart pretty set."

Her family was safe, and happy, and there was nothing better than that.

"_It's good to be home_."

* * *

It was so cold out on the west tower's torrents that the glass of water sitting on the ledge next to Kieran had frosted in the time he'd been sitting out.

It was midday but the chill in the air suggested it was perhaps the dead of night. Gray clouds were hanging overhead, and there had been a few flurries of snow throughout the day.

It was the heart of winter in Baron at last.

The investigation into the vandalism in Cuore's rooms had been dropped and largely forgotten in the last week, especially now that she had returned home.

Home, safe and sound and with her little brother beside her.

Despite the incident being dropped, Kieran had received two more weeks suspension for breaking the last one. At the same time, his obnoxious roommates had gotten some of the credit for helping with the rescue of the children while he heard anything but praise.

He had just shrugged it off and decided to spend his forced time off doing something productive.

Seeing the inner workings of so many Lunarian devices, and hearing Cuore describe them had given him some inspiration the last few days.

There was still a lot he needed to work on and even more that he needed to understand, but he had a few ambitious plans rattling around in his head.

They should at least be written down before he forgot them while he had the time to think on them.

He'd gotten a surprise letter from Cuore just a few days before.

She'd been grounded, and scolded, for everything that had happened. Not that her parents blamed her about Leo's kidnapping, but they had been upset she hadn't sought them for help.

Cuore lamented in her letter how she hoped he hadn't gotten into too much trouble because of her, and mentioned that whatever was in her power to fix, she would.

Because, she'd finished, she understood political games, she just preferred not to play them.

He'd grinned, having heard about some of what she'd done already, but knowing he would likely hear more and more gossip as time went on. Besides that, thanks to what they had uncovered, Belladonna had been found and imprisoned, the hideout had been cleared and all the illegal goods, Lunarian and otherwise had been confiscated.

Cuore was devious, but she was also sympathetic with those she cared for, and her sense of justice was incredibly strong.

She'd wouldn't have believe him if he told her, but she was as far removed from the Maenads as anyone could get, as far as he was concerned.

Love, something the Maenads weren't created to understand, let alone feel or reciprocate, was what drove every single minute of her life.

Love for her family, love for her Eidolons and her friends. Love of what was right, and what was good and true.

Cuore was a remarkable person, in more ways than one.

Footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs and Kieran frowned, not in the mood to see anyone. There was a reason he was hanging out in the cold, up on one of the tallest portions of the castle.

He may have gotten airsick, but he didn't mind heights in the least. More irony.

Kain wandered up and Kieran nodded a brief greeting before going back to his notebook. The diagram he'd just finished was detailed he took a moment to admire it, especially since it was unlikely that the craft portrayed would ever come off the paper in front of him.

"I wondered where you had gotten off too," his mentor commented, taking in the roof with a quick glance.

Kieran shrugged, "I wanted peace and quiet, not Hobby telling me about bundt cake, Jansen talking about his latest girlfriend and Tycho complaining about his armor not being shiny enough."

"Was that a subtle hint you want me to leave?" Kain asked, giving him a funny look.

"When am I ever subtle?"

"Point taken." his mentor replied.

The engine design he'd spoken with Cuore about was promising, even she had said that. But there were variables he couldn't figure out. The way the Lunarian matter stream devices worked intrigued him because of the massive power output they must use.

They were powered by magic, or at least an energy discharge not dissimilar to magic.

What if airships could be powered by the same forces?

"This just came," Kain commented, waving a folded letter in the air with one hand. "I thought you might find it interesting."

Kieran spared a quick glance up before he went back to his calculations, grinning slightly. "Oh, someone got out the _royal seal_, must be a big deal. I take it Izayoi was here for a visit?"

The second part of his comment was glossed over, but his mentor did unfold the letter while mentioning, "Yes, the _royal seal_. Edge only uses that when he's serious."

Kieran closed his notebook to give his mentor his full attention, only somewhat curious what the letter contained. After all, he'd been in the middle of a complex series of calculations and designs for a promising airship engine that would make Cid and Luca jealous.

"The letter is all formal, too," Kain commented sarcastically, "But here's the part I thought you would find interesting."

Kieran found it hard not to laugh at the way Kain's voice inflection changed when reading the passage, as he could assume it was meant as an imitation.

Conscious or otherwise.

"We would like to thank the kingdom of Baron for their assistance and efforts in finding the kidnapped Leo Geraldine and in their ongoing investigations in regards to the trade of illegal elixirs and weapons. Especially those efforts of Kieran Astor, who High Summoner Cuore informs us was above and beyond that of his assignment."

Kain shot him a sharp look. Kieran just blinked at him innocently.

He shook his head and looked back down to finishing reading; "We are grateful for your efforts and would like to offer any support in ongoing inquiries."

"Well, they could have been pissed," Kieran quipped, shrugging.

Kain folded the letter back up, "Yes, but I was told, even outside of this letter that apparently Cuore has claimed that we were of great help, and that without our help she wouldn't have found Leo."

He snorted, "What help is what I want to know. I spent two days in meetings with Verian Dahl to try and get clearance to assist, while you and her went gallivanting across half the world, breaking laws and international treaties,"

He frowned thoughtfully, "And somehow, Cuore has spun a tale that extols our virtues, as if we helped her at all, and sets Mysidia up to claim they were in on it as well! She's lied just enough so that everyone comes out looking crystal clean and manages to make it all right!"

Kieran grinned and reached out to pick up his glass of water, "I heard about Dalton's promotion,"

Kain scoffed and crossed his arms, "Yes, for his outstanding efforts in disbanding the black market underground within the holy city of Mysidia."

His tone was dripping in cynicism.

"Oh please, he didn't do anything." Kain finished, glancing off to the side.

Kieran shrugged one shoulder, "I hope he enjoys his new office,"

"And you," his mentor said, rounding on him and pointing his index finger, "Your _assignment_?"

He grinned, "What? Would it have sounded better to say I broke a few dozen rules while suspended from active duty?"

Kain was frowning at him, "You have got to be the only person I know who gets a commendation from _another_ kingdom and at the same time, gets six demerits from his own."

He took a sip of his water and then held up the glass, commenting, "It's a talent."

His mentor rolled his eyes, "Sure, we'll go with that."

Kieran looked over his design and shook his head, erasing part of the engine design with the intent of starting over. There was a pause before Kain spoke up again, his tone somewhat confused.

"Aren't you even a little put out about all this?"

Kieran looked up, shrugging, "Dalton may have gotten all the credit, and I may have six or so more demerits on my record, and another few weeks of suspension but…" He smiled slightly and looked out over the snowy city, shrugging again. "Five children are back home with their families today, the black market's crippled for the time being, the Scorpion Gang is all but dispersed and the leader of the Magicite was thoroughly whipped in a magical battle."

He looked back at Kain, "I'd say it was a good day."

"Who the hell are you and where is my apprentice?" Kain asked, rising an eyebrow.

Kieran rolled his eyes and buried his head back in his book, "Crystals, don't be a jerk, Kain."

"There he is." his mentor quipped.

Kieran flashed him another grin as Kain turned to walk away, pausing to remark, "You should enjoy all these days off while you still have them,"

"Please, I have weeks of leave time saved up," he countered. It wasn't like he ever took them.

Kain started back the way he'd come and held up his hands in surrender, "If you come back in this good a mood after seeing Cuore, maybe I'll ship you two off together more often."

"Oh, but then who would keep all of you in the castle entertained while I was gone?"

"Somehow I think we'd manage,"

Kieran snickered and leaned back against the stones behind him, taking another moment to look out over the city. The adventure had been well worth it.

They hadn't just rescued the kids, or made the world a better place; no, they had somehow rescued themselves and made their lives a better place as well.

"_Cuore, I owe _you_ one,_" he thought, going back to his notebook.

Whatever happened next, or whenever the two of them ended up, he had every confidence in their newfound friendship.

* * *

**Author's note:** That's it, folks! The end of My Brother's Keeper. **(Time for a really long author's note...)**

I have to apologize for the rushed feeling of the last two chapters...I was forcing myself to write them. I knew I needed to finish this story sooner rather then later, because the longer it sat the less chance there would be for me to finish it. I do not want to be one of the many stories on this site that slowly die...

I've become discouraged with my writing and a bit fed-up with this fandom and this site. (I don't want that to sound like I'm blaming anyone, because I know the problem is solely mine)

I need to take a break, perhaps...? I had plans to write two more chaptered stories ("Shards of History" and "Into Darkness") that came after this one, but at the moment that might not happen...

**Anyway, enough of that; let's talk about the story!**

"My Brother's Keeper" was written mainly to explore the relationship of Cuore and Kieran, I won't lie. They become friends in this one! Also, it was written as a way to have Cuore grow as a person. She is so good at a great many things that I needed to put her into a situation she couldn't solve on her own. She was forced to except help, something she doesn't really like. And worst of all, that help came in the form of the unlikely enemy-turned-friend.

The story was also written because I wanted to focus on a different 'kind' of Final Fantasy story...so many of them the heroes are stopping some force from outside; aliens, demons, unexplained forces, etc. But what about normal people? They can be just as evil and cruel, without outside influence. I wanted to explore that option and write something in a more 'realistic' setting.

Of course this world has crime. Of course this world has power-hungry people. Of course this world isn't all rosy and bright just because the world was saved from uber beings.

I also loved exploring Leo's character. He's such a fun character. He has just enough of his parents in him to make him a funny contrast walking around. And his team, so to speak, are wonderful as well. (There is more to their stories...)

**A couple more things...**

Kieran. Why is he so good at so many things like airships and tech? Because Cuore needs a love interest that can at least keep up with her. Honestly, she does. They don't really have to be like her, but they have to be able to handle her and all her flaws. Why is Kieran's background so normal? Because, Final Fantasy always has heroes that have some really crazy backstories...half-alien, half-esper, half-dead, half-insane, half-notallthere, half-robot, half-dream, half-annoying, half-related to the rest of the cast, half-royalty. (I made some of those up...or did I?) So, I wanted to make a character that, truly, has no special talents but is still awesome. Hence Kieran.

Lunarian: It makes sense to me that there would be a littering of some of their tech on the blue planet...there's no way, after teaching magic, building the tower, showing people how to build airships, building the Serpent's Road, leaving the Lunar Whale that they wouldn't leave some garbage lying around. I also worked quite a bit on their language, and although it may not seem important, it was fun. I have a codex and explanation on my computer of all the words/phrases/rules I came up with.

There were, as always, in-jokes and references galore in this story. As per the usual, I won't list them all, but here were a couple:

The Scorpion Gang is actually a very minor villain in another Square game (An old one,) Secret of Mana. They appear...for some reason...and make you fight a robot, and then...they're gone. But hey, I needed a name for a gang!

Kieran's roommates were named after Star Wars characters to continue the tradition of Biggs and Wedge.

Augus was named after a villain from the Breath of Fire (Another RPG) series, who is also minor and runs a similar scheme like this one. (I was lazy and needed a name)

Dalton. Named after a minor character in Chrono Trigger, actually. Plus, the name is annoying to say...it makes you instantly hate that person. Go on, try it.

I think that about covers it...

I know there seemed to be things that were left open, or maybe as a set-up for future stories, and you would be correct. I'm sorry if these seem annoying that they were left open, but I did have plans to work them into much, much more. See the above.

And again, I'm sorry if these two chapters aren't very good, but despite not feeling any inspiration to write them, I did have fun with quite a few scenes.

**_As always, thank you, thank you, thank you to all my readers! You all are great, and thanks for joining me on this adventure! We'll see where the future leads from here, won't we?_**

**_~Fin_**

**_~Moonclaw~_**


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